


Take an Art Class, Idiot

by The Elder Gays (Katanachan)



Category: South Park
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crenny, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Frottage, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Light Angst, M/M, Magical Tattoos, Marks, Masturbation, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, One-Sided Attraction, Platonic Soulmates, Romance, Romantic Soulmates, Slow Romance, Smut, Soul Sex, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Tattoos, creek - Freeform, one sided creek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-04-26 00:15:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14390082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katanachan/pseuds/The%20Elder%20Gays
Summary: The world is quiet and boring for Kenny McCormick.In a world where people are always attached to their soul mates, his is silent. For years he’s wondered if the other is dead or maybe blind; it would explain why they never seemed to answer when he wrote on his skin.No matter what he said, what he drew, what he did, the other was silent as the dead and he mourned their existence.





	1. Roommates

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Soul mate AU: Kenny keeps drawing really bad pick up lines, and Craig ignores it forever before answering with a space pun, which gets them talking.
> 
> This prompt was provided to us by our friend Harmony and we just kinda ran full speed with it. We're so thankful for her and all her wonderful prompt ideas! 
> 
> If it wasn't for you Harms, we wouldn't have half the stories we have today. 
> 
> Thank you for bringing joy into our lives with your humor and your awfully amazing pick-up lines.
> 
> This ones for you kiddo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Hello and SALUTATIONS friends! Djinn and I (The Elder Gays) have decided to run a public server, it'll be a place for our ask blog, published writing and for a community of South Park fans to join and have fun. This will be a public server and you're more than welcome to invite others to the server and post it on social media.
> 
> https://discord.gg/dZbVDGm

The world is quiet and boring for Kenny McCormick.  
  
In a world where people are always attached to their soul mates, his is _silent_. For years he’s wondered if the other is dead or maybe blind; it would explain why they never seemed to answer when he wrote on his skin.  
  
His home life never made the situation any better. His father was abusive and his mother neglectful. Kenny knew the moment he could, he would leave his home behind. But it never felt fast enough. Everyday his father declined further into alcoholism and everyday he came far too close to actions he should never take.  
  
It was fourth grade when his father finally crossed that line and it was in fourth grade that Kenny found out his soul mate existed.  
  
The bruises on his arm were so deep his soul mate must have been able to see them because scrawled on his wrist were the words: “ _be strong_ ”.

That was the first and last time his soul mate spoke to him. No matter what he said, what he drew, what he _did_ , the other was silent as the dead and he mourned their existence.  
  
There were times where he would sit and fill his entire arm with drawings. Nothing doodles of anything and everything he could think of. He would paint full scenes of epic battles between characters waging wars in his imagination, hoping and _wishing_ that something, anything, would get his soul mate's attention.

Other days, he tried pleading with them.

Words of broken sadness littered across his own skin. Begs and pleads for them to write anything to let him know they were okay. The pain of not knowing was the worst, his heart in a constant vice grip of _what if_.

The idea of total solitude in the face of a world where no one suffered alone was devastating.

Kenny would try, every single day, with a new tactic.

A hole in his heart began to grow; a loneliness people aren’t supposed to know festering like a rotting apple where his heart should be. He grew more distant as time went on, not allowing himself even a chance at happiness if the person wasn’t _his_. Wasn’t the person he was meant to be with.  
  
As he grew he had many offers to fill the void in his heart and none of them were good enough in his eyes. He would lift his arm, make eye contact with said suitor, and draw a heart. He’d stare at their skin and as nothing showed up, he would kindly reject them. Because what was the point if they weren't his soul mate. The idea of dating someone else's soul mate made him sick to his stomach. Stealing that chance of true love from another person made his blood freeze in his veins.

Who would be so cruel? To doom another to the very loneliness he himself was cursed into.

As the years passed, all he could think about were those two words; ‘ _Be Strong_ ’ and just like that, Kenny knew no one would ever be able to live up to them. No one would ever be good enough.  
  
When the time finally came for Kenny to head out to college, he still felt the same pull to try. Kenny spent hours writing about his excitement and trepidation, how fearful he was to go to a new place, yet full of hope that was finally leaving that damned house and his father behind. He wishes his soul mate the same luck. But just like every other time, they maintain radio silence.  
  
—————  
  
Though Craig would never admit it out loud, the idea that somewhere, out in the world, there was a person matched to him, his perfect puzzle piece, stirred something deep inside him. He'd seen people around him happy, messages of love and clever doodles adorning their skin, and he _ached_ for it. To finally find his person, the one who would understand him.  
  
Until he met Tweek.  
  
They were children, but the overwhelming wave of fondness and _love_ hit him so hard he thought he would drown. Neither had received a message, and Craig had heard of people who's soul mates were people they knew all along. He was overcome with hope, the steady mantra of _what if what if what if_ a tattoo on his beating heart.  
  
When Tweek gets a message, letters neat and deliberate against his pale skin, Craig thinks that this is what dying feels like. This pain, this _knowledge_ that there is someone else who gets to claim Tweek's heart, _someone who isn't him_ , breaks him, shatters his dreams into a million pieces.  
  
Two weeks later he gets his first message. It's short and it's not the person, _his person's_ fault, but they're not Tweek and he ignores it, covering his arms with long sleeves and hoodies so he doesn't have to bear witness to proof that he can never have the boy he loves.  
  
He doesn't read a single message for a year.  
  
The pain was too raw and he was too volatile then, in the way that 9-year-old conviction goes, but on his 10th birthday, alone in his room he pulls up his sleeve, curiosity finally getting the better of him.  
  
It's a doodle of a cat, badly drawn and surrounded by hearts with a little arrow pointing to it.   _My little sister's greatest masterpiece_ , the message reads at the end of the arrow, and Craig finds himself smiling, tears somehow welling up in his eyes as another doodle bursts to life across his skin.  It's another cat, better but still pretty awful, the hurried but not messy script following it bringing a laugh to his lips. _And my greatest work, clearly._  Clutching his arm to his chest, he allows himself to cry.  
  
Craig doesn't cover the drawings and messages anymore, his arms blooming with intricate designs and clever words, but he never responds to any of them.   _They're not Tweek_ his brain supplies, knowing that his crush is futile but unwilling to completely give up on the boy he loves, and somehow acknowledging the other, this person who draws aliens and ninja stars creeping up his arm, who wrote _HELLO ANYONE HOME_ in obnoxiously huge letters across his face, would snuff out any hope he had with his blonde best friend.

Not that there is hope, anyway.

It's not until months later at his dinner table, ignoring his parents complaining about something horrible that happened at work that he feels compelled to reply.  The mark appears slowly, wrapping around his wrist and darkening over the course of several minutes, but the large hand print is unmistakable. Craig wants to cry, hurting so deeply for this person he doesn't even know, aching for the pain that would cause such a bruise to appear for _him_.  He wonders if other marks will appear on his body and immediately feels like vomiting, excusing himself from the table.  Rushing to his room, he locks the door, eyes never leaving the now dark imprint, encompassing his entire wrist and part of his forearm.

Craig grabs a pen before he realizes what he's doing, uncapping it with his teeth and setting the tip to his skin.  What could he even say. What could a dumb 4th grader like him possibly have to say to this person, maybe a million miles away.  
  
_Be strong_ , he settles on, putting as much of himself into each stroke of his pen as he can, ignoring the droplets of water that fall onto his arm.

  
After that he returns to silence.

He's since nearly given up on Tweek, even if he can't help the flutter in his heart when his best friend bounds up to him, coffee in hand and a new conspiracy theory bursting from his lips.

But he's trying, as futile as he's started to believe it might be.  College is fast approaching, application deadlines are looming, and Craig has grown to take comfort in the words that almost constantly litter his arms.

—————  
  
It’s dark by the time Kenny finally pulls up to the building that holds his dorm room. Kenny’s finally ready to move into the small room that’s going to be _his_ and someone else’s for the next year. Climbing the stairs to take the hallway elevator he watches as people float in and out of the doorway as he holds it open for them. He smiles politely and they return it, and he feels like this place may be less scary than he previously thought.  
  
The blond boards the elevator and with a short ride up, arrives at the floor that holds his new home. As he stands in front of the door, he’s suddenly scared again. This whole thing. Going to college, it’s terrifying. Kenny never thought he would go, let alone get in. Now here he is.  
  
Kenny tries the handle and finding it locked, he decides to knock. He waits for the other person in the room to hopefully answer as he shifts the box in his arms; it would just be his luck though, if the room turned out empty. 

But to his surprise and delight, a muffled yell followed by a suspicious sounding crash cuts through the silence on the other side of the door. " _Shit_ , sorry, hold on!"

The blond blinks as he listens to the other person at the door, raising an eyebrow and with an amused expression decides to take a step back, just in case. “Hey there buddy, don’t die before you open that, okay?” He chuckles and shifts the box to put more weight on one arm, in case his roommate needs help.

The door creaks open a moment later, vibrant aqua eyes appearing in the small gap. "Are you Kenny?" the smaller blond asks, the dark circles under his eyes only intensifying his stare.

“Yup! The one and only Kenneth McCormick, at your service.” Kenny offers his roommate his best gapped smile and cheeriest laugh, “I’d uh, shake your hand dude, but my arms are kinda full.” Kenny gestures with his shoulder to show the weight in his arms.

"Oh Jesus, I'm so sorry," the other shuts the door, quickly unlatching the chain before opening it fully. "I hope it's okay that I took the right side of the room."

“Nope. Totally throws off the Feng shui of the room. We’re goin' to need an entire overhaul,” Kenny quips as he places the box down on the left side of the room before turning back to the anxious looking boy.  “Dude, chill out, I’m kidding. I could care less." The look on the shorter boys face tells Kenny that he should probably joke less and be a tad more sincere. In an effort to do so, he offers a genuine smile, "So...what’s your name?”’

"I-I'm Tweek," the small blond offers an uneasy smile, somewhat aggressively trying to tug a strand of his hair into place behind his ear. "Tweek Tweak."

Kenny tries his best not to laugh, who names their child the same name twice? He commits the name it to his memory before he reaches his hand out to shake the nervous boy’s hand. He reaches slowly so not to scared or shock him. “It’s my pleasure, Tweek.” He looks around the room with a low whistle after the briefest of hand shakes, “Hey buddy, how do you feel about fairy lights and a pillow fort?” Kenny asks, walking around the room and eyeing the dimensions. He wants to make this home away from home as comfortable and welcoming as possible, and what says  _comfort_ like a pillow fort?

Tweek seems to perk up at that. "I used to build those with my best friend.  They uh..they really helped with my.." he gestures vaguely, "...everything." Fidgeting with his hands, the blond's frantically darting eyes settle on something across the room. "You like coffee?"

“Do I?” Kenny wiggles his brows and dusts off the front of his shirt dramatically. “You sir, are looking at _Employee of the Month_ five months in a row. I was a top notch barista back home, well, as top notch as a small town can hold." 

Kenny starts unpacking his stuff and pulls out a tangled strand of fairy lights, “I’m glad you’re not opposed to these, I don’t have to hide the body now.” He smiles to show he’s joking as he starts to hang them up. It's clear that Tweek understood the joke, but he can feel the suspicious glance stabbing through his back as he works the lights onto the wall.

"I-I am too.  A barista, I mean," Tweek crosses the room and busies himself with making a pot of coffee in the cheap percolator on his desk. "My parents own a coffee shop and I was the cheapest labor they could get," he says the words in a rush, his usually twitchy fingers becoming surgically meticulous.

“Rough go, dude. I myself, amped up my charm for tips, but it was a fun job in the end,” Kenny chimes as he jumps off his bed and heads over toward his box to unpack some clothes while Tweek continues to make their coffee. A brilliant idea occurs to him as he's folding one of his shirts, causing him to stop and put it down. Walking over to his bed, Kenny sits down and grabs a pen out of his pocket and starts writing on his arm.  
  
_If I could count the stars in the sky, I’d hope they were your number._

Hovering by the coffee pot, Tweek watches Kenny carefully, still trying the get a feel for his new roommate, and very grateful that he isn't a complete wreck in this situation like he would have been years ago.  
  
"Have you met yours yet?" Tweek chirps from his spot at his desk, scrubbing his hands over his arms.

“No.” Kenny frowns down at his arm where the ink is drying, “Love of my life, cock sucker McGee doesn’t talk to me. _Ever_.”  
  
Kenny takes a little bear out of his box and puts it on his bed, a gift from Karen. The dried ink on his arm stands as a constant reminder that his soul mate ghosts him, where his happy little bear comforts him. Karen would always be a reminder that _someone_ out their loved him.  
  
“How about you, Twizzler?” The nickname rolls off his tongue naturally. Kenny enjoys nicknames like one enjoys candy, no pun intended. He finds them a great ice breaker and sweet to boot. Pairing nicknames with his charming personality tends to help people get comfortable quickly around him.

Tweek's already big eyes grow wider, a worried crease appearing between his eyebrows. "N-never? Not even _once_?" It appears he's ignored the second question in favor of the admission and Kenny lets it slide. Most people are shocked by this information, after all.

Kenny’s eyes go soft as he looks at his wrist and sighs, “Once. After my dad...” His voice waivers at the memory, vision blurring momentarily before he snaps back to reality and waves his hand. He tries his best to shift his face into a bright smile, wanting Tweek to feel comfortable. “So! About that coffee?”

"Oh _right_ , I'm sorry," he turns back to the coffee pot, fishing a mug out of his desk and setting it next to another already on the countertop. "'M sorry about your person. It...that's really shitty of them to do that to you."

“Yeah well, I’m sure the jerkface has their reasons,” Kenny wistfully adds, he doesn’t even know something as simple as their gender, which causes a pang of pain in his chest.  
  
“What about you? Anyone markin’ up the ole skin?” Kenny punctuates the question by wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at the other blond.

Tweek starts at that, hands absently darting to smooth his fingers over his forearms. "I-Ive been too nervous to meet him in person. Maybe one day. He's helped a lot. He and Craig."

"Craig? That a friend of yours?" Kenny asks, putting clothes away in his dresser and hanging some of his jackets and hoodies into the closet. He's curious as much as the next person would be, to find out about his roommates soul mate, but he seems to want to avoid the subject, "I'm mostly good at pickup lines myself."

"My best friend," Tweek nods, turning and handing over a mug to Kenny with shaking fingers. Sitting on his bed, he pulls his knees to his chest before taking up his own mug. "I-I don't think... _pickuplines_ , oh _Jesus_ , that's so much pressure."

"Ah ha, you're one of those," Kenny jokes, he rushes to clarify so not to seem rude. "Nervous. I know how that goes." He walks over and sits on Tweek's bed next to him, sipping his coffee. His free hand lays on Tweek's twitching shoulder and he offers the most comforting smile he can pull out of his arsenal. "You know what?  I'll do whatever I can to help, to get you two closer. How's that sound?"

Tweek jumps slightly at the hand on his shoulder, offering a kind, yet weary smile. "Thank you. You really don't have to, you just met me and I-I'm not even...I don't know. B-But thank you!"

The mug is lifted to Kenny’s lips before he blows on the liquid and takes a large gulp. It’s really good. He decides in that moment he’ll do what it takes to help his roommate talk to his true love, one of them should.  
  
“Don’t worry about it. That’s just who I am, Twizzler.” Kenny eyes the boy next to him with a mischievous grin, "You don't mind me calling you that, do you?"

"Uh, I guess not, that's fine?" Tweek takes a sip of his coffee, shivers wracking the small blond’s frame lessening with each gulp. "You seem nice, at any rate, and I don't mind, really."  
  
It's clear a strange thought pattern crosses into Tweek's head suddenly as his body goes tense next to Kenny's, "Oh _God_ , you're not an axe murderer are you?"

A loud laugh falls out of Kenny and his entire body shakes with the sound; he isn't sure where that even comes from. It takes Kenny a moment to remember the earlier comment about hiding the body, and realizes that Tweek must have been obsessing about it the entire time.  
  
"Oh man, if I were, don't you think I'd be hiding weapons everywhere or something?" Kenny ponders this as he sips delicately at his coffee, "Or maybe I hide them off campus?" He hums to himself before standing and going to his side of the room to really think about the areas where one would hide said weapons. Not that he would ever need that knowledge, but it could be useful in emergencies such as a zombie apocalypse.  
  
"If I were an ax murderer, how would I even dispose of the bodies?" Kenny finds himself quietly asking out loud, he pauses briefly before before he yells out a ' _Ah ha!_ ' pounding his fist on the near-by desk, "the botany labs! Turn all those bodies into mulch." Finally feeling accomplished in his train of thought, Kenny nods feeling satisfied before he grabs his pen and writes something on his bicep.  
  
_If you were a plant, I'd make sure to always fertilize you._

Tweek looks caught between terrified and laughter. The giggles win, erupting from his mouth before he has a chance to stifle them with his hand. "M-maybe try the chemistry lab, too. They probably have something that can like....dissolve anything." A far off expression crosses the smaller blond’s face, the tension immediately flooding back. "Oh _mygod_ I'm sorry that was _sofuckingcreepy_."

"No, not creepy, but it does makes you an accomplice!" Kenny snorts, his shoulders shaking with mirth as he watches his roommate. “Tweek buddy, I like your style. No need to apologize man, I didn’t even think of that.”  
  
Kenny leisurely drops himself onto his bed with a chuckle before looking at his ceiling, “If I need to hide a body, I’m coming to you.”  
  
  
—————

"Jesus Christ," Craig mumbles, smiling against his will at the most recent godawful pickup line to appear on his skin.  
  
_If you were a plant, I'd make sure to always fertilize you._  
  
From his spot laying on his new standard issue twin bed, Craig reaches into the drawer in the bed frame and pulls out a small note book, flipping to his most recent dog-eared page and writing down the quote directly under _If I could count the stars in the sky, I’d hope they were your number._  
  
He may not reply, but it doesn't mean he didn't _notice_.  Or maybe this was just blackmail in the probably unlikely event that he and his weird-ass soul mate ever met.

"What does that even mean," he drops the notebook next to him on his bed, tracing the letters in that familiar script on his bicep.  
  
"What's what mean?"  
  
Craig turns to look at his roommate, standing precariously on his chair and trying to tape up another poster. "'If you were a plant, I'd make sure to always fertilize you.'"  
  
"Dude," Clyde turns to face him, eyebrows practically raised to his hairline. "Either he wants to shit on you or come on you. There is no in between."  
  
"I don't even know if it's a guy."  
  
" _Why_ ," the brunet gives up when the corner of his poster flops off the wall for the umpteenth time, hopping off the chair and facing Craig, "is _that_ what you took away from that?"  
  
Rolling his eyes, the taller boy shoves the notebook under his pillow. "Clyde-"  
  
"No, no no. I get it. You're a giant tree of a gay and don't mind another dude covering you in hi-"  
  
" _Clyde._ "  
  
"Whatever," the boy smirks, waving off the murderous look he's receiving from across the room. "Look, it's definitely a dude. I can't think of a girl alive who would write all those things."  
  
Craig raises a dark eyebrow, regarding his roommate cooly. "That would actually entail you _talking_ to a girl."

"Hey! I happen to talk to Bebe _all_ the time, thank you very much!" The number of octaves Clyde's voice jumps up brings another smile to Craig's lips as he settles back against his sheets again, closing his eyes.  
  
"And now you're _ignoring me?_ _Rude_ , Craigory. Good day, sir."  
  
"M'not ignoring your annoying ass-"  
  
" _I said good day!_ " Clyde climbs back onto his chair to battle his poster again, leaving Craig alone with his thoughts and the words of a stranger he's known most of his life.  
  
He doesn't know why he hasn't replied beyond those two words. He's thought about it, been tempted throughout the years, but something holds him back, and he's not sure if it has anything to do with Tweek anymore.

\-----

Kenny is beyond bored sitting in his creative writing class. He’s so bored, he’s considering jumping from the fourth story window to end it all as we speak. But that’s dramatic, and he isn’t about to do that. Some poor fellow would have to clean up after him, and they never pay janitors _quite_ enough.  
  
Sighing, he looks down at his arm and starts writing.  
  
_Do you think animals dream?_  
  
He pauses, pen to his lips before he scribbles a drawing of a little mouse. Kenny has rats back home and he misses them, he draws all three of them circling a really crude drawing of himself as a princess.  _Karen always made me be the Princess when we played,_ Kenny muses as he doodles, remembering all the times she played knight.  
  
_I think if they did, my rats would wanna pretend they’re dragons._ After a few minutes he continues writing across his wrist,  _Maybe I should stop watching so much Game of Thrones._

 _Maybe,_ Craig muses to himself, eyes darting between the drawing of a princess surrounded by rats and the lines of text. He looks back at the princess, following the little lines.  
  
It's been a while since the initial conversation, and maybe Clyde is wrong. It wouldn't be a shock in and of itself, but as much as Craig gave his friend shit over it, he is of the same opinion about his soul mate being another guy. That princess drawing is throwing him for a loop though. Not that he particularly minds.  
  
A frown creases his eyebrows. When had he started actually thinking about being with this person in earnest. He's in his room working on homework, Clyde typing away on his laptop when he grumbles loudly as he notices Craig staring at his arm.  
  
"Just answer him," Clyde pipes up from across the room.  
  
It's not that simple. It's been _years_ and probably thousands of messages and all Craig has said are two tiny words. This person is probably only writing messages and doodling to pass the time and out of habit, not because they actually want anything to do with Craig. He blew that chance years ago with his silence.

"I don't know," he stares at the little picture, rats seeming to float around their fair princess.  
  
"Tucks, you're killing me. Just do it. Be Shia." Craig sees Clyde move from his bed to squat and flex out of the corner of his eye and doesn't give him the satisfaction of a response.  
  
Instead he picks up a pen, uncapping it and setting the nib to his skin. _Here goes nothing._  
  
_Does your ass have it's own gravitational pull because they look like they're orbiting you.  
_

A staccato knock sounds against their door, both boys calling out 'Its open' with varying levels of enthusiasm.  
  
"H-hey guys," Tweek pokes his head into the room, offering a smile. "Are you ready to go? Heidi is already there."


	2. Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His heart swells, it swells so much he can feel the choked sob of happiness leave his mouth. Was that him? Did he know he could make that noise? Who knew!
> 
> He’s full of such happiness he’s never felt before. Snatching his phone he texts Tweek, asking where his roommate is. When the boy answers him; he scrambles to get up, ignoring the weird looks he’s getting, and runs to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! 
> 
> We know you've been waiting so patiently for us to update and you shall be rewarded!
> 
> We're writing several stories at once, both multi-chapters and one-shots so we appreciate all of you waiting so kindly on us to finish each chapter.
> 
> We hope you enjoy <3

Kenny feels the writing on his arm before he sees it. He feels his chest tighten, his breath escape his lungs, and his mind shutting down simultaneously.  
  
His entire world stops.  
  
He can no longer hear the chatter around him in the quad because he _can’t believe it_. Kenny thinks he may have died somehow and went to heaven because after all this time  **his soul mate _finally_ answered him.**  
  
Kenny's hands are shaking, he can feel the sweat pooling down his back and along his hairline. Slowly, he regains his ability to move and pulls his arm to eye level. The shock that had such a hold on him breaks as he snorts out a loud laugh. It shakes his entire body, bending him in half until he’s sure he’s going to hit the floor.  
  
And he does. Kenny finds himself sitting in the middle of the quad cradling his arm, laughter shaking him and tears in his eyes.  
  
Because they finally answered him.  
  
They’re alive. They’re alive and they don’t hate him.  
  
His heart swells, it swells so much he can feel the choked sob of happiness leaving his mouth. Was that him? Did he know he could make that noise? Who knew!  
  
He’s full of such happiness he’s never felt before. Snatching his phone, he texts Tweek, asking where his roommate is. When the boy answers him, he scrambles to get up, ignoring the weird looks he’s getting, and runs to find Tweek.  
  
They’ve become such good friends since the first day of school a couple of weeks ago, that he can’t think of anyone else he’d want to share this information with.

Making his way into the library, he sees the blond with a group of people and he runs through the crowd before them, having them part like the Red Sea.  
  
“TWEEK!” He screeches, not even caring that it’s a library. Kenny snatches the boy by the shoulders as he stands up and shakes him. He’s so excited he can’t even speak, but the smile on his face causes Tweek to smile as well. He knows the other boy can tell how happy he is when Tweek starts laughing.  
  
“Kenny?” He asks, “I-I’m guessing something g-good happened?”  
  
The taller blond grins, speechless and unable to actually explain to his roommate at this exact moment. In his elation, he shakes Tweek again before letting him go. “Change of plans, I’ll tell you later, I gotta go!” He decides last minute, opting to tell Tweek when they weren't in a public place. Instead, Kenny decides this moment needs more attention, him being alone to answer the words scribbled on his arm.  
  
Kenny winks at the people with Tweek before he’s bolting off. He stops midway before leaving the library and grabs a random girl, spinning her and dipping her in his excitement. She’s blushing and laughing as he lets her up and spins himself away dramatically.  
  
He runs all the way back to his dorm room. He swears that he can hear the Willy Wonka music in his ears as he leaps over random benches and jogs three steps at a time up until he reaches his room.  
  
Busting through the door, Kenny throws himself on his bed and grabs a pen. His eyes are sparkling, he has to make sure this comment back is _perfect_ or who knows how long it’ll take before they answer again?  
  
_Well, my ass has its own zip code so I wouldn’t be surprised._  
  
He pauses and laughs adding on, _And I have been told I’m out of this world.  
_

_\-----  
_

" _Um_ ," Heidi walks up to the table housing her friends, dropping down into her seat next to Bebe and rounding on Tweek, "who the _hell_ was that?"  
  
"Oh, uh," the small blond scratches at the back of his neck, cheeks flushing under the sudden scrutiny of the entire table. "T-that's Kenny. My roommate."  
  
Heidi stares at Tweek for a moment, eyebrows knitting into a frown despite the smile spreading over her lips. "You dirty betrayer, you've been hiding _that_ from _me_?"  
  
"What about Cartman?" Clyde asks slowly, looking around to the others at the table to make sure he isn't missing something.  
  
"What _about_ Eric, did you _see_ that boy?" the brunette gestures in the direction Kenny left, cheeks still pleasantly flushed from their spin-and-dip encounter minutes earlier.  Leaning back in her chair, she sighs, shaking her head. "He doesn't have to worry. Just because I'm not out to buy doesn't mean I can't window shop, sheesh."  
  
Craig tunes out the chatter of his friends, eyes narrowing at the door where the wild-eyed blond had appeared like a whirlwind, making Tweek blush in the aftermath. Turning his attention to his best friend, his frown deepens.  
  
It had taken years of friendship for Tweek to warm up to Craig like that, and he couldn't help the bitterness rising in him. Even though his hopeless crush on the boy next to him had waned over the years, it still fucking _hurt_ that someone could so effortlessly waltz in and become part of Tweek's life like that. Hell, that Kenny guy was barely around them for more than a minute and his friends are _still_ talking about him.

"I mean but like did you _see his smile oh my God_ ," Heidi feigns dramatics, clutching at imaginary pearls around her neck.  
  
"Craig?" Tweek lowers his voice, trying to make eye contact with the noirette. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I don't like him," he deadpans before his brain can quite catch up with his mouth.  
  
"Craig Tucker _disliking_ someone for literally no reason?" Clyde gapes, sarcasm dripping from his words. "I'm fuckin' _shook_."  
  
Face impassive, Craig flips Clyde off, turning his attention back to Tweek who looks worried and _hurt_ and _fuuuuuuuck_ that was not part of the plan.  
  
"Why don't you like him?" the blond's voice is soft, fingers itching to tug on the sleeves of his button down.  
  
"I," he starts, having no idea how to answer without sounding like a complete jackass, "I don't know, I just get a feeling that-"  
  
"You _jealous_ , Tucker?" Heidi raises an eyebrow at Craig, a knowing smile across her lips.  
  
"Because if you are, that's fair," Bebe leans into Heidi's space, a twin grin on her face. "He's hot."  
  
"He might be able to dethrone you for hottest guy in the group," Heidi quips, ignoring how hard Craig rolls his eyes.

"Wait that's _Craig_?" Clyde's bottom lip quivers and it's only a matter of time before Bebe jumps in to save the day.  
  
"Oh baby, shh, you're gorgeous."  
  
_There it is._  
  
Craig focuses on Tweek again, letting the other side of the table squabble among themselves. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be an asshole."  
  
The look Tweek fixes him with is nothing short of annoyed. "You don't even know him, Craig. He's going to be my roommate for the next year, c-can you at _least_ give him a chance?"  
  
Green eyes narrow once more, knowing this isn't something he's going to win. "Tweek..."  
  
"For me?" And fuck this asshole; he knows exactly what he's doing to Craig. The little quirk at the corner of his mouth is proof enough.  
  
With an exasperated sigh, Craig shakes his head. "And they say _I'm_ the asshole. Fine. But I'm not going to like it."

Tweek's face lights up in a grin, bumping their shoulders together lightly. "I knew you'd come around."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Craig mumbles, scratching at his arm when he notices two new rows of text on his skin. Excusing himself, he grabs a pen and walks to the front door, enjoying the warmth of the sun in contrast to the frozen tundra that is the library.  
  
_Well, my ass has its own zip code so I wouldn’t be surprised._  
_And I have been told I’m out of this world._  
  
Craig is smiling down at his arm before he realizes it, thumb skimming over the letters. He's mad at himself that he didn't do this sooner. He knows why, knows he _wasn't ready_ then, but wonders how much would be different if he had opened up to this stranger.  
  
Uncapping the pen, Craig takes a breath before replying.  
  
_An intergalactic ass? Your zip code must be an entire solar system._

The blond is sitting at his desk when he sees the writing appear on his arm. He feels blessed. He isn't sure what or why his soulmate has started writing to him, but he can feel his eyes glazing over again as he reads the joke over and over and _over_. Kenny feels light, almost dizzy, by how happy this makes him.  
  
The one person in this entire god forsaken world made just for _him_ has finally started talking back.  
  
He's so taken by the idea that he starts drawing out of happiness. The drawings are vast and stupid, he knows. Kenny isn't the best artist out there, that's for sure. He starts on his bicep, drawing out all of the planets in their solar system. Next, he draws a little stick figure on top of Earth. When he's done, he draws a stick figure in a space suit floating alone in the stars he decorates over his freckles.  
  
_I would believe so, since I live here._ He writes then draws an arrow to himself in the space suit and another to the person on the Earth.  
  
_Hey look, I've waving from up here. Can you see me?_  
  
Kenny smiles at his creation, dotting some more stars in the heavens before he leans on his palm and traces the handwriting that belongs to the other half of his soul.

Craig leans against the library wall, watching stars appear across his bicep. _How dare you use space against me_ , his brain supplies, looking at the two little figures on his arm.  
  
Putting the pen to his skin, he draws his chullo on the stick figure on the Earth, adding an arm to make it wave back.  
  
_Just barely. The sun is bright today.  
_

Kenny laughs when he sees words appear near his. They're having a conversation and he's  _elated_. It isn't just a random set of phrases, it's a honest to goodness conversation. Squinting, he looks at the little bit of detail his soul mate adds to their stick figures. Something about the doodle and the way the person's handwriting reminds him of chicken scratch, makes him believe it's a boy.  
  
His heart flutters at the idea. Kenny wouldn't mind either way, but he did tend to lean more towards guys, if he is totally honest with himself.  
  
Sighing, he nibbles on the end of the pen to think of what he should add. He wants to give his soul mate some information about himself without so much as scaring him away. It took him _years_ to finally get to this point. Kenny isn't going to ruin it.  
  
Kenny licks his finger and erases the him in the space suit from his arm, then he draws the little him standing next to the boy on Earth. But he draws himself with the helmet under his little stick figure arm. Kenny doodles to the best of his ability, his short and wild hair before putting dots all over the stick figure's face.  
  
There. Maybe now it would be a little clearer that he himself was a boy.  
  
_Now you don't have to look into the sun. I'll stand here with you instead._

Craig stares at the words, at the doodle of what he assumes is another boy next to doodle-him, and he feels his heart clench in the most perfect way. Why had he wasted so many years just _watching_ this person write and draw and live when he could have been part of it.  
  
_Thank you for sparing my retinas,_  Craig writes back, drawing sunglasses on both of the little figures.  _But just in case._  
  
Craig doesn't know where to go from here. He owes this person so much more than an apology, and fuck if he's not still terrified that this won't work in the way that it's supposed to, that he'll wake up head over heels for Tweek again, an endless litany of _what if what if what if_.

Kenny makes an almost inhuman sound at his soul mate's ability to make him crumble with just a few small additions to his doodle.  
  
_Sunglasses?_ He thinks to himself, his cheeks blushing a bright red flush. This guy really understands his sense of humor and it is killing him that he hasn't been able to enjoy how purely _amazing_ he's been all these years.  
  
Kenny starts drawing on his other arm; he can't stop now that his soul mate is paying attention to him. He's enamored with his responses. He draws and writes stupid jokes for the rest of the night until his entire arms, his legs, and all the way up his neck are covered in pointless drawings.  
  
They range from himself as a Princess fighting off books so he doesn't have to do his homework; to drawings his soul mate sent back, of a Thief sneaking away from the fight to call for help, to stuff as simple as little drawings of superheroes.  
  
It's late when Kenny falls asleep with his pen in his hand. It's been years since he's been so happy and for once he sleeps soundly. He dreams of epic battles, of the stars, and of a hidden smile on the other end of this attachment that he longs to see.

When the messages stop after a weird wiggly line slashes across his skin, Craig assumes that the other fell asleep. He pushes down the fond smile threatening to quirk his lips.  
  
Standing up from the bed he's confined himself to since he left the library hours ago, he takes off his shirt and gathers his things and heads to the communal showers on his floor. It's late enough that it's empty, and Craig is thankful of that fact when he catches sight of himself in the mirror.  
  
Every inch of his skin from the neck down that isn't covered by clothing is blooming with drawings and text. Seeing himself blush is as surreal to him as finally _talking_ to this person, _his person_ , is. Craig isn't sure he deserves such attention after years of radio silence, but he's grateful to have someone so understanding marking up his skin.  
  
As much as he doesn't want to, Craig scrubs the ink from his skin, watching as older doodles and messages from earlier start to fade.  
  
When he returns to his room, ignoring the harsh snores emitting from Clyde's side of the room, the noirette takes up his pen once more, trying to make his sleep addled hands write legibly.  
  
_Goodnight, Princess._


	3. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feeling the telltale tingling of the other writing on his skin, Craig pulls up his pant leg, seeing the poem standing out stark and beautiful on his skin. The penmanship is beyond impressive, and the smallest pang echoes in his chest at how much work his soulmate must have put into learning to write like that.
> 
> Well now you’re just showing off, he scribbles on his arm, hoping his fondness transfers despite his perpetual sarcasm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Ya'll have really been liking this story and leaving us comments and kudos. We really appreciate the love and support, it keeps us going! 
> 
> Time to reward you with a chapter! <3 Tell us how you like it!

Waking up the next day, Kenny finds that he maybe should have taken a shower before falling asleep. He inspects the damage left behind and laughs as he heads to scrub it off. It doesn't escape him that his soulmate called him _Princess_ and he likes the sound of it.  
  
When he's back in his room, Tweek still asleep, he dries off his hair and picks up a pen.  
  
_Good morning! I fell asleep without saying goodnight, how rude of me. Please forgive this royal, as they aren't quite used to such classy conversation before bed._ He writes small to fit what he has to say before he writes a little more on his other arm. _What can I call you?_  
  
He figures it's too soon to ask for real names, real information. After all, his soulmate spent years not answering him and he doesn't want to risk any of this.

Craig rolls over in bed, blinking blearily at the message.  
  
_Morning. Are any of them really 'good' though?_  
  
The second message gives him pause.  He honesty hadn't considered that question before and now that he is, he feels like an idiot.  
  
_Good question. I spaced out on that being something that we should probably establish._

Kenny, in one of his moments of cleverness, laughs at the double entendre and starts writing.  
  
_Spaced out, huh? I think I'll just call you Star boy._

Craig rolls his eyes, a smile creeping over his lips.  
  
_I can live with that. What about you?_

The blond thinks about how it made him feel when his soulmate referred to him as Princess and he knows that's what he wants.  
  
_You may address us as Princess, we are royalty after all._ He taps the pen against his skin once before adding, _Not really, I'm just two penguins in a wig, actually.  
_

_I fucking knew it,_  Craig scribbles out quickly before staring at his ceiling. He was smiling too much, something had to be wrong.  
  
Craig raises his arm above him, staring at each little letter on his skin and feeling them deep down to his core.  
  
_Hey,_ he starts, pen hesitating on his skin.  _I wanted to say that I was sorry for being so quiet for so long. I know you don't exactly owe me anything but I wanted to let you know._

_I wasn't ready then..._

The tears that escape aren't welcome but they're there and surprise Kenny as they drop onto his night shirt. Words he's been wanting, _needing_ to see for years finally written on him. The blond scrubs at his eyes with the palms of his hands, a little happy sob slipping from between his lips.  
  
He pulls his phone off the nightstand and takes a picture of the words. He never wants to forget this moment.  
  
Before he starts writing, he traces the words with his finger and closes his eyes, willing the touch to transfer to his soulmate. Kenny knows this isn't quite how it works, but he wills all of his heart into it.  _Listen, I'm just happy you're here now. You have nothing to apologize for. I forgive you._  
  
Kenny pauses, nibbling on his bottom lip and debating if he adds this last line or not, but he does.  _Please don't leave me again._

Craig’s heart aches for this person he's never met outside of jokes and doodles, for this endlessly patient human who can't draw for shit, but has the most beautiful handwriting he's ever seen.  
  
_Okay,_ Craig writes back, and means it with everything he is.  _I won't._  Under any other circumstance he would never make a promise like this, but he is determined to follow through on his words.

\-----  
  
  
It's been days. Days of artwork littered across his skin, writing in forms of short bursts or long tangents. Kenny's learning so much about Star boy, making up for all of their lost time together.  
  
He's learned that he really likes space to the point that his major is astronomy, learned that he must be stupid tall since he once commented on one of his friends calling him a _baby giraffe_. He's also learned that Star boy enjoyed the show Red Racer growing up and that followed him into his later teens. He's even found out interesting little tidbits about the other's family life, his favorite things, and everything little irrelevant thing in-between.  
  
When the scholars speak of the connection you have between your soulmate and yourself, they never quite capture that deep, painful, and agonizing feeling of just all encompassing _fondness_ for someone you've never actually seen in-person.  
  
This fondness could even be love if Kenny understood what love felt like. He isn't sure, but the idea of this person is making him weak in the knees every time he sends little compliments or drawings.  
  
Sitting in class, he finds himself drawing on his hand again, absently. And he snaps out of it too late to take back what he drew. His cheeks grow impossibly red as he scrubs at it, but it's too late. He knows it's transferred.  
  
On his hand is a field of hearts, big ones and small ones. And in the middle is two little stick figures smiling at each other.  
  
Kenny feels like a fucking idiot.  
  
When the first heart appears on his hand, Craig doesn't immediately notice, too busy trying to steal back one of his tacos from Clyde in the cafeteria. He gives up when the brunet goes to lick his arm, sitting back in his seat, when he notices it right at the base of his thumb. The smile pulling on his lips would be embarrassing, except with Clyde quite literally inhaling everything on his tray Craig can't find it in himself to _be_ embarrassed.  
  
He thinks of their almost constant conversation, evolving and taking wild turns over his limbs. How Princess, as he's started to refer to the other boy, has a sister the same age as Tricia, lives in the same time zone, and has a deep love for anime.  He appreciates Red Racer, which had Craig stifling a grin in class as his history professor droned on about ancient Peru or something, and was majoring in creative writing.  
  
As each heart appears after the first, Craig assigns a fact he's learned to each one. Pet rats, loves D &D, only been arrested once...  
  
When the little stick figures morph into existence on his skin, he watches the lines take shape with rapt attention, ears burning when he realizes what the doodle implies.  
  
The drawing of him and the other boy makes his chest tight, feeling warm and terrified and _safe_ all at once.  
  
"What're you staring at?" Clyde manages to say around the food in his mouth, attempting to lean over the table to look at Craig's hand.  
  
"Nothing," he shrugs offhandedly, hiding the marks on his skin under the table.  
  
"It your person?" he asks, swallowing down the mouthful of taco. "He drawing dicks on you or something?"  
  
"Yup," Craig smirks, uncapping his pen under the table. "Dicks everywhere. I'm just covered in dicks."  
  
"Ew dude, that may be your dream, but I don't want to hear about your kinky orgies."  
  
With a snort, Craig looks back at his hand, putting the pen to his skin and connecting several of the hearts, turning them into constellations.

The embarrassment that Kenny felt when he realized he had drawn the hearts melts away when he sees the lines start to connect them. It takes a few minutes before his cheeks feel incredibly warm again. Star boy has connected the hearts to make constellations and he can barely contain his own heartbeat.  
  
  
\-----  
  
  
Kenny feels with all of the talking that has been going on between himself and Star boy, that he might be able to broach some more _personal_ conversations. 

He had been sitting in his room on the phone with his friend Stan when the other boy started questioning him about Star boy. The sinking feeling of not being able to answer the very simple questions Stan asked, bother him, and he wants to be able to answer them. He wants to know Star boy beyond little drawings and silly pick up lines. After all, they were soulmates.

The blond sits on his bed and pokes at his arm several times with the nib of his pen. He’s been worrying his bottom lip with his teeth trying to figure out how to word exactly what he wants to say.  It isn’t that he’s worried that his soulmate will disappear on him again, but he doesn’t want to push the other boy and make him uncomfortable.  
  
_Hey Star boy, it’s kinda weird that I haven’t asked you this but I guess I just assumed we were the same age. Ha, I’m eighteen how about you?  
_

Following that statement Kenny draws a eight with a one like it’s his cane and finishes it off with a top hat and a monocle. Kenny doodles to the best of his abilities, hoping his soulmate laughs instead of being upset at the question.  
  
Craig glances down at his arm under his desk, a small smile forming on his lips when he sees the beautiful swooping letters of his soulmate’s words. Rereading them, he clicks his pen a couple times; mind drifting away from the lecture and instead focusing on this new information.  
  
They should have done this forever ago, and he knows it’s his fault they’re just at this point now. He draws a little heart at the end of Princess’ sentence before mucking up his arm with his own atrocious handwriting.  
  
_I’m 18, too.  January baby. I could be tried as an adult now, should probably lay off the shenanigans._  
  
Craig pauses, tapping his pen against him arm before quickly adding:  _Jk, I’m boring.  I’ve never been arrested.  Unlike someone I know. (Here’s lookin’ at you, kid)_

The blond scoffs at his soulmate’s response, _it’s not my fault I was arrested_ he thinks before he taps his pen to his skin.

_Look here you, it was for t-peeing a teacher’s house and that asshole deserved it._

Kenny, feeling satisfied with his answer and goes on to answer the important part of the question.

_I was born in March! You know, comes in roaring like a lion, leaves soft like a lamb or something.  
_

Kenny draws a messy lion sitting on his arm with a tiny little fluff ball with eyes next to it. He thinks for a moment and Google’s the poem that goes with the saying, grinning ear from ear. On his leg he starts scrawling the poem in his best attempt at cursive he can muster.

 _March roars in like a lion, So fierce, The wind so cold, It seems to pierce.  
The month rolls on, And Spring draws near, And March goes out, Like a lamb so dear.  
  
_ Proud of his work, Kenny takes a picture on his phone.  
  
Feeling the telltale tingling of the other writing on his skin, Craig pulls up his pant leg, seeing the poem standing out stark and beautiful on his skin.  The penmanship is beyond impressive, and the smallest pang echoes in his chest at how much work his soulmate must have put into learning to write like that.  
  
_Well now you’re just showing off_ , he scribbles on his arm, hoping his fondness transfers despite his perpetual sarcasm.   _Where did you learn to write like that? It’s beautiful. Almost like calligraphy._

A blush scrolls across Kenny's cheeks as the words appear on him, knowing that his soulmate appreciates his hard work makes his heart squeeze.  He thinks about making up something so not to bum the other out, but he opts for the truth instead.  
  
Starting a relationship based on a lie is never the correct way so he takes a deep breath and starts writing on the part of his arm that has no ink, writing as small as he can so it will all fit.

 _I was alone a lot growing up so I took my baby sister to the library often. There was this really nice old lady who would come and read to the kids. One day I saw her writing and it was so pretty I asked her to teach me. She asked me why and I told her that maybe if my handwriting was pretty enough, you’d answer me._  
  
_Oh_ , Craig writes out, because he has no idea what else he could possibly say. The extent to which Craig has _hurt_ this person, _his_ person, breaks his heart into a million pieces. How could he have been so selfish, how could he have left the person meant for him so alone and in pain for so many years. What kind of monster was he?  
  
_I’m so sorry.  I don’t even know how to begin apologizing.  I know I’ve said sorry before, but...that’s not good enough.  Not for you._  
  
Blue eyes follow the writing as it appears, watching the scrawl as his Star boy apologizes again. Normally Kenny would wave it off, and pretend like isn't a big deal. But he needs to be honest with this person and so instead of pretending, he takes a leap and writes the truth.  
  
_To be honest? I know I said I forgive you, but ….I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fully forgive you? I hope you don’t hate me for this. But part of me can’t forget how I spent a lot of time thinking you were either dead or in love with someone else. It broke my heart._

Kenny pauses, his pen still pressed against the skin and he tries to swallow down the emotions in his throat. Star boy could lie to him in this moment and he would never know, but he wonders to himself if the truth will hurt more. But he knows he has to ask.

_Is there a specific reason you never answered me? You said you weren’t ready, but I don’t understand what that means._

Where does Craig start.   _At the very beginning_ , his little sister’s voice sings in his mind. _A very good place to start_.    
  
Craig sighs, settling back in his chair and praying to anything that would listen, to the fucking cosmos, that his soulmate would want anything to do with him after this. He switches his pen to the other hand, clicking it a few times before setting it to his skin.  
  
_This is a lot.  And for the first time ever I’m thankful my friend broke my arm in 5th grade so I can kind of write with both hands.  Bear with my even messier writing.  
  
My parents hate each other.  They probably don’t really, but they don’t seem happy at all.  My entire childhood they fought and screamed and ignored each other, and when I found out about soulmates, that they **are** soulmates, it confused me.  It didn’t make any sense that they would treat each other like that.  
  
_ He bites his lip hard, taking a deep breath because the noirette has never admitted that to anyone. It hurts.  Everything about this hurts, but it’s nothing compared to the loneliness his Princess has felt, so he continues, ignoring how much his hands are shaking.    _  
  
When I was little, before I ever got your first message, I realized I liked my friend.  It was a stupid crush, but I’d hoped that maybe we would be matched, even though it was beyond unlikely.  The day he got his first message, I think I cried for hours because it wasn’t me, it couldn’t be me, even if I wanted it to be.  And then I kept thinking about my parents and how miserable they were and I thought maybe soulmates weren’t the only ones, maybe we could still be together.  I think I wore long sleeves all the time for a year after I saw my first message from you. I couldn’t admit to myself that I could be with anyone but him, but I was young and stupid and so fucking selfish that I didn’t even consider you.    
  
_ Craig twists his arm uncomfortably to find open space to write, needing to get this out, _needing_ the other boy to understand.  
  
_But I looked after a while and I loved everything you wrote.  I didn’t want to say anything because of my stupid crush, but I read everything.  And the day I wrote back for the first time...I cried. I wanted to help you but I felt like a stranger and I didn’t know what to do, and so I just fucking cried because you were hurt and I was hurting you too._  
  
_My crush faded.  But you didn’t, you never gave up, even if I was too scared to say anything because I was afraid I’d fucked everything up by being so quiet.  I thought you’d never want to talk to me even if I replied so I stayed silent. Until a few weeks ago when we started talking. I’m a shitty person, Princess.  I’m selfish and horrible, and that you’re talking to me at all, after everything I’ve done...I don’t have words. I know you probably will never forgive me, but that’s why.  That’s the honest truth. And I am more sorry that I never reached out than I’ve been about anything in my life._

It’s like a hurricane of words on Kenny's arm. The sentences flow across his skin like a story and he hangs on every single word. Somewhere along the way Kenny has to stop reading, his eyes full of tears, the pain in his heart too immense for him to continue. Imagining why his soulmate had been so quiet all those years had been torture, he'd come up with a million different reasons why, one of them being almost this exact situation. However, formulating the idea and hearing it confirmed from his soulmate were  _two different things_.  
  
From the moment Kenny learned about soulmates, he convinced himself that there was an unbreakable thread connecting them, an invisible line from his heart to someone elses. Hearing now the truth from his soulmate, makes him feel like that thread could be easily severed if someone tried hard enough. It hurts him to think how empty and unfulfilled his life had felt up until just a few weeks ago and how that could have been his entire life.  
  
Kenny doesn’t want to go back to that life. But hearing about Star boy’s parents and how they were soulmates but fought and caused so much doubt in the other boy, it hurts almost as much as a slap to the face from his own father. 

Realistically, he knew about these types of situations, even went as far as to research them when his soulmate had refused to answer him. People who were bound together yet didn’t work, as rare as it was, did happen and the even more rare occurrence of a soulmate deviating and falling in love with someone not meant for them was painful but a truth he had to face. It stung. God, _fuck_. It stung so bad to see that the latter had been their situation. Kenny forces himself to read the entire thing, reading it over again just to make sure he isn't missing anything or misunderstanding the situation.  
  
He tries to write something on his other arm but he has to stop himself when he realizes it's just a jumble of ugly marks, no real words. Kenny puts the pen down, his hands shaking from the truth. His eyes are full of tears and he has to wipe them away, smudging some of the marks as he does. What can he even say? He's spent so many hours rehearsing how he'd respond had he found himself in this situation, but none of it sounds good enough, not faced with reality. Kenny's shoulders sag as he allows the tears to come, hears his own open sobs in the darkness of the room, and presses the palms of his hands to his eyes. 

His soulmate. HIS, had betrayed him. Kenny feels broken in a way he hasn't felt since the last time he allowed his father to lay his hands on him. He thinks of the strength he used to over come that situation and pulls from his inner self to pick the pen back up. His fingers are still shaking as he tries to steady them enough to write.  
  
_I’m sorry about your parents,_ he starts, a tear sliding down his cheek and dropping onto his hand as he writes, _Please don’t think this means forever, but I need some time alone. I need time to process all of this.  
  
_ Craig’s breath catches when he reads the words, his heart clenching painfully in his chest. He expected this, had been waiting for this to happen since he replied, even for years before that. And he fucking _deserves_ it, after everything he’s put this kind and incredible person through. But it doesn’t make it ache any less.  
  
_Okay, of course_ , he writes, surprised that his fingers cooperate enough to pen out the words under his soulmate’s admission. _After everything, that’s more than I could ask for. Take as much time as you need. It might not mean much, but I’ll be here._  
  
He waits for something, _anything_ , to appear on his skin.    
  
Craig lies in bed that night, staring at the fading words of the poem on his calf, and knowing he’ll wake up to his skin completely bare.


	4. Oxygen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I guess we really are soulmates after all, huh?"
> 
> The words put his heart in a vice, Craig’s lips curving into a smile despite the sting in his eyes.
> 
> "Guess so. If you’ll still have me, that is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you want 5k of fluff and flirting?
> 
> Here's to hoping you said yes. 
> 
> We thought about breaking it up into 2 chapters, but it was too important to break up, so enjoy~  
> (Also check the bottom notes for a treat)

It’s been two weeks of silence.    
  
The words and drawings adorning his arms have been an unwavering comfort for almost ten years, a constant through everything.  Each time his parents fought and screamed, every moment of stress and hurt and anger, whenever he broke down alone in his room and sobbed until he could barely make out the glowing stars stuck to his ceiling.  When he laughed and had been genuinely, truly happy. This person was there for all of it, a companion burning against his skin, wrapping him in the comfort of silly words and doodles.  
  
Craig feels the silence cracking his walls, carefully breaking down his defenses, and knows he deserves it because he put his person through so much worse.    
  
Tweek and Clyde try to get him to join them on outings, mini explorations outside of their college campus.  Heidi and Bebe text and call him, unrelentingly inviting him to coffee, a study date, _anything Tucker, Goddamnit just answer us.  We’re worried._  
  
Yeah, me too, he thinks, worried that he’s messed up the one truly amazing thing that he was careless enough to let slip through his fingers.  Craig has no one to blame but himself.  
  
Even seeing Tweek wander around campus with his roommate, smiling and laughing has him aching, and not because it’s Tweek, but because he could have that with his person if he had only looked beyond himself for a fraction of a second and seen what he was doing to his soulmate.    
  
He doesn’t let himself cry because he doesn’t deserve to, doesn’t skip class because this is his own damn fault.  He declines the invitations and pleas graciously, blaming being homesick, and throws himself into his schoolwork, always hoping in the back of his mind that he’ll feel the buzz just under his skin and see a message on his blank arms. 

\-----

It’s been two weeks since Kenny has said anything to his soulmate and it’s taking a lot of his willpower to not write on his arms.  It’s almost a reflex and he catches himself with a pen in his hand about to absently doodle a few times.

It hurts to think about his Star boy. Hurts to think about him in love with someone else, hurts to remember all the times he could have used his support and instead, he earned silence from the other. All those times he was dealing with abuse, heartache, even abandonment, Star boy had been giving his support to someone else.  
  
That thought stills his pen, fills him with the same emotions he felt the night he learned the truth and helps him stay silent.  
  
Tweek notices that Kenny is spending an unreasonable about of time in their room. In an attempt to break the blond out of his depression, his roommate takes him to get coffee a few times during the two weeks of silence. The kindness helps Kenny start to ease into healing, his smile slowly coming back. As much as he feels like his soulmate abandoned him, or even as much as he feels bitter towards the person Star boy may have been in love with, it isn't in Kenny to stay angry forever. The more laughter he surrounds himself with, the more company that Tweek and eventually a few other friends in his little group provide him with, the less Kenny can justify not thinking about his soulmate's side of things.  
  
When it was time to rationalize the situation, Kenny had to break down what exactly was hurting him so much. It wasn’t that he was just mad at him for liking someone else, he was upset that he had tried to not only ignore his existence but also _replace him._ Kenny had felt replaceable most of his life, between his parents and his friends, the only constant for him had been his soulmate. But even those feelings began to fade the more Kenny's arms stayed bare.

How could he blame Star boy? His parents had let him down and he'd thought...he'd been convinced, someone else had been his soulmate. Emotions like that don't just disappear, and as much as Kenny wants to continue to wallow in his grief, he knows it won't do himself any justice. The time he's spent with Star boy after they finally started talking, had been some of the best moments of his life and to just ignore that feeling for the past, well, that wasn't Kenny McCormick.

Forgiveness, that is the mantra he goes into on Friday. It was exactly two weeks and a day since he started his silent treatment and he's trying his best to get over the feelings waging a war inside him.  He wants to yell at the other boy, yet at the same time he wants to comfort him, listen to more of his childhood and let him know he's there for him. Kenny wants to tell him how awful it was to ignore him for so long, to give him a small amount of hope with those words then rip them away with years of silence. Yet, he also wants to tell him how much those two words helped him, formed a bond even without his soulmate understanding what he had done, how he'd given him hope.  
  
He doesn't say any of it, instead, he writes the other boy a letter with all of his feelings in it. The good, the bad, the beautifully poetic, and the gross ugly dramatics. All of it, in one letter he never intends to send. Forgiveness starts with allowing yourself to vent, and venting is what Kenny does. It was a technique he'd picked up in one of his classes during high school. Writing a letter you never intend to send was meant to be therapeutic, and when he’s done pouring his anger, sadness, and heartbreak, mirrored by the depth of his love and dare he say borderline obsession with the idea of a soulmate, onto the paper, he folds it up and puts it in an unmarked envelope. Sighing, he feels a little better and slides the envelope into his desk drawer to never see the light of day again.

As he sits on his bed, he gazes at the expansion of skin on his arm and thinks maybe it’s time he tries.

_I had a coffee today that tasted like the barista might have put gasoline in it. My roommate demanded they remake it and I swear it looked like he was going to crawl across the counter. He screamed at them and I have never seen this dude so angry in my life. Long story short, don’t piss off my roommate and don’t fuck with coffee. He gets really sensitive about it._

Kenny pauses and adds for good measure, _Hello Star boy._

Craig is walking to astronomy when he senses it.  
  
Moving away from the throng of students bustling down the walkway, Craig tugs up the sleeve of his hoodie, the air practically getting knocked from his lungs at the lines of text on his arm.  He reads the words over and over, afraid to look away in case they disappear again, and settles under a tree next to the physical sciences building. A pen is ready in his hand before the noirette has time to formulate a thought.  
  
_Coffee is a serious matter. I’m best friends with a coffee enthusiast, I get it._  
  
_Hello Princess_.  
  
It’s almost instantaneous, the reply from Star boy and Kenny feels that same familiar clench in his lower abdomen. The tug of his heart when he sees the handwriting is almost too much, so much that he needs to lay down on his bed to handle the breathlessness that he feels.  
  
A smile is on his face before he realizes it and he’s writing something in response.  
  
_I’m more of a fan of tea myself, I hadn’t realized it was such serious business._

The blond runs a hand through his hair before he adds in another line, _I’m sorry that took me so long._  
  
Pausing, Kenny closes his eyes and thinks about all of the times he almost wrote to the other boy during those silent weeks. He thinks about how he felt all those years not hearing back from him and he vows in that moment to try not to do this to him ever again. No one should go through that type of pain. They were going to move away from the past and look toward a brighter future, no more clinging to _what if_ and lives before they came into each other's worlds.

 _Don’t apologize, it’s okay._  
  
And Craig means it.  Even though it had been agonizing, he understands why the other boy would want time to figure out where his feelings are, how to proceed with this precious thing between them.    
  
_And tea is delicious. I was made to try that cat poop coffee once. Dirty leaf juice is fine by me._

A laugh betrays the blond by falling past his lips without his permission, his fingers tracing the words in an act of rebellion as well. He missed this, his Star boy’s jokes, the fun little quips back and forth.    
  
Kenny smiles softly and puts his pen to his skin, drawing a coffee cup with an X drawn through it then drawing another mug with a tea bag inside with a check mark next to it. He then meticulously draws a frown on the coffee and a smile along the tea mug and he swears somewhere on campus Tweek can feel him dissing coffee. Hopefully that's not true and Kenny doesn't have to worry for his life.  
  
_I guess we really are soulmates after all, huh?_

The words put his heart in a vice, Craig’s lips curving into a smile despite the sting in his eyes.  
  
_Guess so. If you’ll still have me, that is._

Those words do something to the blond's heart that he’s not ready to assign a word to, not so soon after their first real fight. Kenny has started a picture album on his phone dedicated to his soulmate and he deems this moment perfect to add to the others he already has. He snaps a picture of the words and adds it to the folder, happy that he decided to break the silence.  
  
_Idiot. What are you low on oxygen up there in space? I waited all those years for you. Do you think you can get rid of me that easily?_  
  
\-----  
  
Kenny hasn't had much time lately to make friends outside of his eccentric roommate. He's seen Clyde and Bebe a few times around campus, during the two weeks he froze out Star boy; they had helped him really come out of his shell. Even if those times they all seemed like background noise, their voices muffled to the depression, sounding as if he had heard them through cotton plugged ears, Kenny still wanted to try. So when his phone chimes and an invitation is given to join a study group of Tweek's peers, Kenny jumps at the opportunity.  
  
"Hey Tweek," Kenny chimes, offering a smile to the group as a whole. He notices the brunette sitting next to Bebe has been staring since he walked up, so he sits on the other side of her and offers a charming lift of his lips.  "Hey, I know you. Didn't we dance once?"  
  
"Oh my God," the girl whispers, still staring at Kenny.  
  
Bebe, the girl with full curly hair next to her leans forward, extending her hand.  "In case you don't remember from the random times we've seen each other, I'm Bebe. The one in an advanced state of shock is Heidi."

"Enchanté," Kenny half sings to Bebe before kissing her hand, he notices the jock-ish boy, Clyde, across the table stiffen at that action. It amuses Kenny that Clyde is so defensive, there's no real heat behind his flirting, but he supposes not everyone can tell that. Turning toward the brunette, Heidi, he lifts an eyebrow, "Tout le plaisir est pour moi."

"Bruh," Clyde's eyes narrow at Kenny, an overtly skeptical look on his face.  
  
Heidi bites the inside of her bottom lip to hold back a squeal, eyes not leaving the blond.  
  
"S-so guys, this is Kenny," Tweek interjects, cutting off whatever Clyde was about to say when he opens his mouth. "I invited him to study with us, i-if that's okay. Not 100% sure why h-he's decided to revert to factory setting."  
  
"I just got out of French class, sue me. It's really hard to get out of that mind set." Kenny quips as he rolls his eyes at Tweek playfully.  
  
"Of course it's okay," Heidi manages to find her voice again, bringing Kenny's attention back to her. "It's more than okay. It's perfect. Perfectly okay."

Kenny feels his lips quirking into a genuine smile, Heidi seems like a nice person and he's glad he sat next to her. He chuckles under his breath and turns to Tweek. "I really appreciate it, I don't really know many people. Tweek here was kind enough to let me join y’all." He ducks his head for a moment, feeling a tad embarrassed at his admission. "Sorry if I've been weird, I promise I'm not always this socially awkward. It's been a weird couple of weeks."

Clyde's expression softens a fraction. "Well now, before this whole _friendship_ thing gets out of hand, I have one very important question to ask you," he leans toward Kenny conspiratorially.  "What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

Kenny blinks at him with a straight face before speaking, "African or European?"

"I officially love you, you're in," Clyde sits back, putting his arm around Bebe.  "It also doesn't hurt that you're apparently attractive, and we're quite the beautiful bunch."

It's a rare moment that Kenny is grateful his older brother Kevin is obsessed with Monty Python, since his pop culture knowledge seems to have won over Clyde. The bubble of anxiety that had been building in his chest is slowly settling as the group sits down to discuss their study tactic.  
  
It was nice, getting to know them. He feels slightly bad that he hadn't been fully aware of them before, but like with his soulmate, it was time to live in the now. Speaking of Star boy, Kenny absently draws a little heart on his hand to connect this moment to him, wishing he was there to enjoy the banter flying across the table. Kenny relaxes for the first time in a while and allows himself to get lost in the conversation.

\-----  
  
The usual number of clothes that cover every surface of Clyde’s side of the room has easily doubled in the last 20 minutes.  Craig is used to it, used to the absolute panic and state of angst that engulfs his long-time friend when he has a date.

“She likes you a lot, you know.  You don’t need to throw a full on conniption every time you guys go on a date.”  
  
Clyde’s head snaps around to glare at his roommate over his shoulder, ceasing digging through a pile of shirts.  “That’s not helpful, dude.”  
  
With a sigh, Craig closes his book and sits upon his bed, crossing his legs.  “Clyde.”  
  
The other boy turns around fully, exasperation and worry etched all over his face.    
  
“It’s okay. Bebe likes you.  _A lot_.”  
  
Clyde runs his fingers through his hair, groaning as he sinks down onto his bed.  “But like...what if this doesn’t work. Y’know because we’re not... _y’know_.”  
  
“Hey,” Craig stands, crossing the few feet between their beds and sitting next to his friend.  He’s not always the best with this kind of thing, but the look on Clyde’s face throws any worries he has out the window because he wants to _help_ .  “That doesn’t matter.  He wanted her to be happy, and you make her happy.  That’s all he ever wanted for her. He would be happy that _she’s_ happy.”  
  
The brunet’s bottom lip quivers for a moment before he blinks hard and looks up at the ceiling in an attempt to fight off the tears forming in his eyes.  “I know. And I know that. But I’m afraid I’ll never live up to what he was.”  
  
“She wouldn’t be with you if you weren’t, Clyde,” Craig offers a small smile, knocking their shoulders together.  “You’re kind of a cool dude. I _guess_.”  
  
Clyde’s face splits in a grin, even as he wipes his eyes with the cuff of his jacket.  “That coming from you is like winning a damn Oscar.”  
  
“I’m not that mean,” the noirette rolls his eyes, patting his friend on the back.    
  
“Token thinks you’re fucking hilarious, so I mean.  You can’t be _that_ bad if my soul-mate-skin-bro likes you,” he laughs, tension visibly draining out of him with a deep sigh.  

Craig laughs at that, standing and ruffling Clyde’s hair before crouching to grab a water from their mini fridge. “How is he, anyway?”  
  
“He’s great.  He and Nichole are planning some crazy vacation in Aruba or some shit, I don’t know,” he makes a face, pulling his ringing phone out of his pocket, and immediately perking up when he sees the caller ID.  “Heeeeeeeey Bae Bae~”  
  
With a gagging gesture to Clyde, Craig flops back onto his bed, watching his roommate finish getting ready at warp speed.     
  
“Yeah, I just left, I’m walking to the elevator right now as we speak,” Clyde pauses, brow furrowing.  “I am so. See, Craig, tell Bebe I’m walking to the elevator.”  
  
“Hey Bebe, he’s a dirty liar, but at least he’s wearing pants,” Craig deadpans from his bed, picking his book up again.  
  
“See?” Clyde coos into his phone, flipping Craig off and grabbing his keys and heading out the door. “Be there soon, bye.  Love you. Get ready for all the cuddles, okay, bye.”  
  
As the door clicks shut, Craig is thrust into silence once again.    
  
He rolls over, dropping his book unceremoniously on the floor and staring across the room at Clyde’s bed and the cork board above it, littered with pictures.  Craig is in a bunch of them, from their time growing up together, but most of them are of Bebe. The radiant blond is a focal point throughout the pictures, and Craig tries to ignore the way his chest hurts when he looks at how happy they are, _together_.  
  
That’s all he’s ever wanted.  That closeness and connection with someone, and he can’t have that.  At least not right now. Maybe one day he and his Princess would get to meet, to see each other, hold each other, touch…  
  
Craig shakes that thought out of his head immediately, instead reaching for a pen.    
  
_You ever feel like a huge asshole?_  
_  
_ Not more than a minute later, the pretty script of his soulmate blooms over his skin.   _Sometimes, why? What’s eating you Gilbert Grape?_

Craig smiles, running his thumb over the words on his forearm.    
  
_I’m just being salty.  What are you up to?_

_Nothing wrong with being salty, it’s a fun past-time. Just hanging with the squad, we went to get some Grade-A coffee. My friend who attacks unworthy baristas wanted to go back to the fancy place we found._

Craig doodles what he hopes looks like a large body of water, adding a little sign that reads “The Dead Sea, aka what I aspire to be” next to it.  
  
Instantly the letters, _LMAOROTF,_ appear next to the drawing, stretching Craig’s smile into a grin.    
  
_Mmmmm coffee.  Guess the tea will have to wait._

 _I feel like my friend would castrate me if I even dared to ask for tea._ There’s a pause before another line appears, _This kid kinda scares me, no lie._

He snorts at that, setting his pen back to his skin.   _That’s fair.  Anyone who will literally jump a counter to strangle someone over coffee is worthy of fear._

_If I ever disappear, you may want to contact my friend and ask where he hid the body. I’m joking of course, he wouldn’t tell you. I’m sure he’d have skipped town._

He props himself up on his elbow, making it easier to scribble across his skin. _Damnit, I guess I’d have to become a bounty hunter then._

_Oh shit, like Spike in Cowboy Bebop? That’s hot._

Craig doesn’t know if he’ll ever understand how he could be so lucky to have such an absolute nerd be his person.   _3, 2, 1, let’s jam *pew pew*_

_Did you just finger gun me? I think I’m in love. (Also thank god you watch anime)_

_Anything to make you blush._

_Well hold on there Space Cowboy, who says I’m blushing?_

Craig could feel the smirk tugging at his lips.   _No one.  It’s just a goal of mine._

_Really? Okay, try. Make me blush. I’ll be honest._

That has a warmth settling in his chest, spreading and twisting in his stomach.   _Oh, a challenge? A gauntlet has been thrown down, fair Princess._

_Do you think you’re up to the challenge, Star boy?_

Lifting his pen back to his skin, he paused as another message popped up moments later.  _I’m not easy._

A little thrill runs down his spine at that, closing his eyes and trying to imagine the person who could belong to these words that were driving him wild. _That’s a challenge, too._  
_  
Holy shit. Was that a sex joke? Color me impressed._

Feeling bold, Craig bites his lip and draws a heart against his skin before penning a reply.   _I’m just trying to color you pink right now~_

_I just laughed and my friends made fun of me. You suck._

_...I mean._

_Okay, now I blushed. Damn you._

_That barely took any effort.  Maybe you are easy._

_Maybe it’s just you._

The damn butterflies in his chest start doing some advanced level acrobatics at that comment, making Craig throw his head back against his pillow with a groan.

_I like the sound of that better. I bet your blush is adorable._

And he did.  He really fucking did.  

\-----  
  
Tweek carefully makes his way back to the table, balancing three mugs of beautiful latte art. Heidi catches sight of him and jumps up to help, grabbing her mug and attempting to take Kenny’s before the smaller blond waves her off with his elbow.  “I got it, it’s fine. T-thanks, Heidi.”  
  
She beams at him, settling into her seat and looking down at the beautiful swirling heart in her latte.  “This place is adorable, Tweek. And I trust you implicitly if you say the coffee is good.”  
  
“It _really_ is,” he wraps his fingers around the mug, relishing the warmth after being caught outside in the chill fall air for so long.  “Kenny and I f-found it a little while ago when we went exploring.”  
  
Heidi looks up at Kenny, watching him ignore the two of them completely to stare at his arm.  “Well shit, maybe Ken needs the heart latte since he’s clearly a love sick puppy.”  
  
The blond is far away from the conversation as he stares at the words on his arm. ‘ _I bet your blush is adorable.’_ He tries really hard not to actually blush at that, knowing his friends will see it immediately.

“Shut it, Heids.” Kenny retorts as he looks up from his arm, a smile tugging at his lips. He takes the coffee from where Tweek left it for him and lifts it to his mouth, nodding at the flavor. “I prefer tea but this is the good shit, I have to agree with Twizzler.”  
  
She shoots him a smirk over the edge of her mug, blowing on the coffee.  “I don’t hear you denying it.”  
  
“S-she’s right, Kenny,” Tweek giggles, giving the other blond a knowing look.  “All you do is look at your arms and g-get this big grin on your face. I tried asking him what he wanted t-to do for dinner,” he leans toward the brunette, rolling his eyes, “it took him like 15 minutes to answer me.”

“Maybe I just didn’t want to hear you suggest Greek food for the millionth time?” Kenny states as he pulls a face, putting his pen to his skin he sends his soulmate a message, trying to hide it from the others. _I’ve been told it’s fan-fucking-tastic thank you very much. I have freckles for days._

He smiles fondly at his answer before looking up at the other two.  “Don’t act like I’m the only person in history to have a crush on their soulmate, ok?”

“Greek food is _fucking delicious,_ you heathen,” Tweek mutters under his breath, kicking Kenny under the table as he takes a long sip of his coffee. 

Heidi smiles warmly at Kenny, patting his hand, “I know, I know. It happens to the best of us. He must be quite the guy to have you so flustered all the damn time.”  
  
Kenny flinches at the action and sticks his tongue out at Tweek, he’s about to retort in full force when he catches the answer to his writing on his arm. ‘ _Are they everywhere?’_

This time Kenny _does_ blush and he covers his face with his hands momentarily, groaning and putting his palm covered head on the table. “He’s going to be the death of me you guys.”  
  
Mustering his courage, he writes his answer on the inside of his arm where his friends can’t see. _Oh, you know it. ;)_

Heidi and Tweek both shift in their seats, eyeing the words and drawings almost completely covering Kenny’s arms.  The brunette grins, tilting her head in an attempt to read a line of text, “Alright Kenneth. Spill.”  
  
“He’s just…” Kenny tries, moving his hand a little to attempt an explanation, “So goddamn romantic?”  It embarrasses him to say it outloud, but a little flutter of pride flashes through him as well.  
  
The butterflies in his stomach power through his entire body and manage to get lodged in his throat when he sees the next thing Star boy writes on his arm. ‘ _I’d like to see them one day.  Them and your blush.’_  
  
His mouth opens and closes once, twice, before he finds he’s transformed into a speechless tomato.

Heidi’s eyes widen at how quickly Kenny turns from pink to _red_.  She pats his hand again, the gesture calming before she grabs his wrist and pulls his arm across the table so she can read what exactly made the sandy blond boy flush. 

Kenny hits the table, just barely dodging his coffee so not to knock it onto the floor, “Jesus! Heids, what the actual _fuck_?”  
  
“ _Oh_ ,” she utters, looking from the lines of overt flirting covering Kenny’s skin, up to his eyes.  “Well, well, _well_ , Ken.”  
  
Tweek pointedly looks away, taking several large gulps of his coffee.  “D-do I even _want_ to know?”

“If you wanna know how smooth Ken’s soulmate is, then hell yeah you do.”  
  
“God, no. _Stop it_.” The blond almost hisses at them, tugging gently at his arm so not to hurt her if she decides to keep it.  
  
The smaller blond’s curiosity gets the better of him before Heidi relinquishes Kenny’s arm, reading what looks like the most recent message and feeling himself blush for reading something so personal.    
  
Heidi releases her hold on Kenny, giving him a sympathetic smile.  “Sorry, Ken. I was curious who could make you blush like that.” The smirk is back, “But I get it now.”  
  
Tweek makes a sound between a laugh and a scoff, shaking his head.  “He’s got really s-shitty handwriting, though.”

“He really does, right?” Kenny holds his arms up in front of himself to show them the handwriting since the cat was out of the bag.  
  
He places his one arm on the table and grabs his pen to answer him. So what if they saw this time? It wasn’t like trying to hide it _actually worked_.  
  
_Aren’t you smooth, Star boy? If you play your cards right you can see both at the same time._

With a little squeal Heidi leans back, slow clapping and drawing the attention of people at nearby tables, much to Tweek’s chagrin. “That was peanut butter smooth, Ken.  If this boy is _half_ as attractive as you, I’d pay for front row tickets to this event.”

Tweek ignores that last comment, eyes still scrutinizing the writing on Kenny’s arms.  “‘Star boy’?”

“It’s what I call him, he’s really obsessed with space.” The boy supplies before chuckling under his breath at Heidi, “I don’t know if I’d want an audience but…” He pauses and wiggles his eyebrows at her suggestively, “Maybe that can be arranged.”

The tingle of writing calls his attention back to his arm and he almost dies at the words on his skin, ‘ _I think I’ve got a pretty good hand.  A royal flush, just for you, Princess.’_

“Jesus.” He blinks and tries to hide it before Heidi and Tweek can see it, but the way they both stare and dart their eyes quickly away, confirm that they’ve seen it.

“‘Princess’, huh? Eric could learn a thing or two from this kid,” she laughs, fanning herself out of empathy for Kenny.  “Again, I would drop money. Pay-per-view kind of money.”

Tweek is watching the ceiling fan overhead like it’s the most fascinating thing in the universe.  Something is nagging at the back of his mind, something other than the countless conspiracy theories and anxiety and paranoia that constantly lurk there.  He turns to Kenny, mumbling against his mug when he brings it to his lips, “T-tell us about him.”

That suggestion takes Kenny's mind off of the words glaring up at him and he laughs, rubbing at the words. “Well, he’s our age, born in January. He loves space and guinea pigs. One time I found this video with little guinea pigs crossing a bridge and wrote the URL out to him and he wouldn’t shut up about it for days.” Kenny smiles absently down at his arm, fingers tracing over some of the words his soulmate wrote.

“He’s incredibly sweet, funny, kind. He has a little sister around the same age as mine and he likes anime as much as I do.”

There were several things in Tweek’s life of which he was absolutely sure: the existence of aliens, the amount of coffee he needed coursing through his veins at any particular point in time to maintain functionality and avoid an immediate headache, and Craig Tucker.  

Tweek had known Craig since before kindergarten; he knew him inside and out, had been there every step of the way as the years went on.  He had seen Craig at the best and his worst, laughed, cried, and watched the stars with him for years. Even if he didn’t have the extensive background of information filed away after a lifetime of being best friends with Craig, his handwriting would be a dead giveaway.    
  
So as Heidi giggles with Kenny, talking about the romantic things the other blond’s soulmate covers his skin with, Tweek’s entire focus is narrowed to the handwriting he has known since he was five.    
  
_Holy fucking shit._  
  
Tweek mentally shoves away the flirting he witnessed on Kenny’s arms, not needing to think about his best friend in that light _ever_ , and instead tries to take a page from Craig’s book and focus on the facts.  

All evidence points to Craig being Kenny’s soulmate.  Kenny and Craig are both unaware that their soulmates are each other.  Craig apparently has a thing for freckles.  
  
_Ew, no scratch that_.  
  
Tweek figured it out before either of them, and is in a position to help.  To bring these two stupid boys together so that Craig can stop internally angsting over the words covering his skin (because of course he's noticed over the years, _thank you very much_ ), and Kenny can finally meet the person he's been waiting and hoping for his entire life.

He just needs to figure out _how_.  
  
“Sometimes we stay up all night until we both fall asleep writing,” Kenny sighs, watching as Heidi glances down at the writing on his arm.  
  
“That’s so romantic, holy shit.” She mutters.

“Do you think you’ll ever meet him?” Tweek pipes up, tuning back in to their conversation.  
  
That takes Kenny by surprise, his eyes lifting from the marked up skin to turn to Tweek. “I…would like to,” he answers, his cheeks flushing for the third time since they sat down. “He’s just...kinda private?”

“Y-yeah, but,” the smaller boy starts, collecting his thoughts, “but you’re meant to be together. So like...w-wouldn’t he want to be with you, too?”  
  
Kenny rubs his thumb over his hand, a gentle yet sad smile on his lips. He doesn’t meet Tweeks eyes, instead he opts to stare at the scribbled handwriting on his wrist.  
  
“Remember how I mentioned that he hadn’t spoken to me for years?” The taller boy pauses because he knows Heidi hasn’t heard this and it’s clear she’s shocked by the small gasp she emits. “I’m afraid. I don’t want to push him and he leave me again. We already had one fight, I don't want another one.” Admitting that out loud hurts, especially since not too long ago he himself had subjected Star boy to the silent treatment.

Tweek’s eyes grow wide at that, the memory of how hurt Kenny had been when they first met and the subject of soulmates came up, how blank his skin had been the first couple weeks he’d known his roommate.  How for two weeks solid he had to babysit a depressed Kenny with zero marks on his arms.  
  
And then he thought of Craig, how he always dodged every question Tweek asked about his person growing up, the far off look in the noirette’s eyes when anyone even mentioned soulmates.    
  
He’s hit with an anger that far surpasses his outburst at the incompetent barista the other day.  Craig had ignored the boy sitting across from him for years, and Tweek wants nothing more than to punch his best friend in the face for hurting Kenny like that.    
  
“I think you might be s-surprised at how receptive he m-might be to the idea,” Tweek offers as casually as he can through a twitch, shrugging a shoulder and finishing the final drops of his coffee.    
  
“I don’t know. He told me one of the reasons he didn’t talk to me was this crush he had on someone else. I’m scared I’m just not…” Kenny frowns, his eyes lifting to look at his friends before deciding not to finish his thought. A smile stretches over his lips instead, one that doesn’t reach his eyes. “It’s not something I want to think about right now. I’m just enjoying getting to know him, having him back.”

Tweek makes a face at that, dropping his eyes from Kenny’s face to the empty mug between his hands.  Craig didn’t _get_ crushes on people.  Who the hell could he have had a crush on?  
  
“I think that’s the important thing,” Heidi smiles, gripping Kenny’s hand across the table.  “And when you’re ready to meet, you’ll know. You both will.”

Kenny gives her hand a squeeze back and he’s thankful for both of them. “Yeah.” He moves his hand back to his pen and draws a cartoon toilet with a crown on it before chuckling to himself. _Royal flush?_ He writes next to it.  
  
With a smile, Tweek gathers up his mug, returning to the counter for another coffee.  If he played _his_ hand right, they would meet much sooner than either of them probably anticipated.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were wondering about the url Kenny handwrote out to Craig:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq9ghmgqoyc


	5. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s tried everything, each plan with a different title, steps, and projected outcome, and somehow these two idiots managed to mess up every single attempt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last here is your update. We made it super long just for you to apologize for the wait. Hope you enjoy it! It's 5:30 in the morning but we are hella dedicated.

Tweek is frustrated.  

Scratch that.  _Frustrated_ isn’t nearly a strong enough word for this.  _Infuriated_ , maybe.  _Aggravated. Exasperated. Pissed the fuck off._

With a little huff, the small blond scribbles the last phrase into his journal, triple underlining it for good measure.  He isn’t sure exactly when his therapy journal turned into a playbook for trying to get his best friend and his roommate to actually meet each other, but after nearly a week’s worth of failed attempts, Tweek thinks he is more than entitled to be exactly that: _pissed the_ **_fuck_ ** _off_.

He’s tried everything, each plan with a different title, steps, and projected outcome, and _somehow_ these two idiots managed to mess up every single attempt.

Operation ‘Room With A View’ was the most simple and promising. Craig arrived exactly on time to Tweek’s room, ready for class, ready to unknowingly meet his goddamn soulmate. Except said blond mashed his snooze button into a bloody pulp after scribbling all over himself until four in the _fucking_ morning, and missed Craig entirely.

Operation ‘Carrier Pigeon’ would have been perfect.  Especially if Kenny had been on time. And it hadn’t started pouring.  And if Clyde had actually done the _one_ thing he was supposed to do and told Craig that they were all meeting in the quad.  Instead, Tweek was left alone, soggy and irritated, and when Clyde finally showed up, he took one look at the blond and fled.  

Similar fates met Operations ‘Dance With Me’, ‘Spread the Good Word’, and ‘You Don’t Just Go To Denver.’  The dramatic irony of the entire situation is wearing on his nerves as each plan fails, and Tweek is about two seconds from stealing Kenny’s arm and writing “ _Hey Craig, it’s Tweek. You and my roommate need to meet already so he can stop giggling like an idiot when I’m finally managing to get to sleep.”_

Actually, that wasn’t a bad idea.

“What’s not a bad idea?” Kenny chimes from over the blond’s shoulder, his eyes skimming the notebook the boy is currently writing in.

“JESUS _FUCKING_ CHRIST!” Tweek yelps, slamming his notebook shut, the momentum from the movement nearly sending him flying off his chair.  Righting himself in his seat and keeping a hand firmly planted on the cover of his notebook, the small blond grips his chest as though that would somehow prevent the heart attack he is probably in the midst of having.  “When the _hell_ did you get there?!”

The other boy watches as Tweek nearly meets the floor and laughs, his entire body shaking. “Wow man, is that like your diary? Did I seriously invade your privacy? I’m sorry.” He leans forward and pats Tweek’s shoulder, sincerity in his words.

“I just got home. You seemed really into what you were doing, so I came to check if it was something god awful like... _math_.” Kenny wrinkles his nose, “Or worse: physics.”

Tweek slumps over his desk with a sigh, tension practically oozing out of him as he becomes one with the desk.  “Oh _jeez_ no, that’s not _nnngh_ my thing at all.” He peers up at Kenny, an idea sparking to life in the back of his mind, “Are you taking physics?”

“Yeah, and I hate everything about it. I feel like I’m going to fail,” Kenny grumbles as he walks over and deposits his book bag on his bed and flops face first onto the mattress.

Sitting up, a grin spreads across the coffee fanatic’s face like the damn heavens have finally opened up.  “Craig is really good with that. P-physics, I mean.”

“Craig? That best friend of yours you keep bringing up who may or may not exist? Hashtag who's Craig, amirite?” Kenny calls from his muffled position, “Do you think he’d help me?”

Tweek nods before realizing the other blond can’t actually see him.  “Yeah, man. I don’t think that would be a problem at all.”

There’s a groan before Kenny’s hands fly up to his hair, ruffling it wildly in frustration. “Fine, I’ll do anything at this point. I feel like my teacher is trying to murder me with all these science terms and equations.”

“I’ll uh, I’ll text him and see if he can meet for our study session...thing,” the smaller boy murmurs, more to himself than his roommate before opening his notebook once again.  Maybe he wouldn’t have to remain perpetually pissed the fuck off anymore.

\-----

“C’mon, Craig, please?”

“Tweek, I told you, I don’t think I have time.”

The blond huffs out a breath in irritation, tugging at a lock of his hair.  “ _Ngh_ , you’re being difficult.”

“Hey,” Craig reaches out, easing Tweek’s fingers from his hair, a faint smile barely masking his concern.  

“He’s really worried he’s gonna fail, man,” the shorter boy frowns, squeezing Craig’s hand in his own.  “You’re...you’re one of the smartest people I know, a-and-”

The taller boy closes his eyes firmly, sucking a deep breath in through his nose.  “Fine.”

A smile spreads across Tweek’s face instantly. Operation ‘Craig’s Notes’ is a go.

\-----

It is late, _really_ late, and Tweek is attempting to sleep across the room. Kenny feels awful that he's still awake, but Star boy is being particularly amusing tonight.

 _Excuse me,_ Kenny writes on his arm under the scribble that is Star boy’s handwriting, _But mothman is totally a myth._

 _You wish. That would help you sleep better at night,_ appears just under his own handwriting as Tweek shifts in his bed.  

The blond holds his hand over his mouth as he throws his head back against his pillow, eyes closing in a quiet muffled laugh. It takes him a moment to collect himself before he’s writing again, _Oh please. Next you’re going to tell me that Bigfoot is real and aliens built the pyramids?_

 _I’m ashamed of you. Open your eyes, Princess. Stop consuming government propaganda._  A little drawing of the Kool-Aid man accompanies the words with a little speech bubble making him say ‘ _don’t drink me!_ ’

“Oh my God,” falls out of Kenny’s mouth before he can stop himself, and he picks up his pillow and shoves it over his face as he laughs. When he’s secure in the knowledge that his giggle fit is over, he draws boobs on the Kool-Aid man and an arrow pointing to him. _It’s okay, it’s Mrs. Kool-aid. She only delivers the truth. Join us._

 _Aw fuck,_ Star boy’s distinct messy scrawl pops up once again. _This is what the end of the world looks like, isn’t it? Spontaneous tits on everything_.  _lluminati confirmed._

 _You’re so cute,_ Kenny writes before he stops himself, hiding under his pillow again. Maybe if he’s lucky, he’ll run out of oxygen under there and not have to deal with the fact that he was openly flirting with Star boy _again_.

_So are you. I can practically hear you laughing.  And, I have to tell you, it’s...really cute._

Freckles are immediately bathed in a scarlet hue as Kenny feels his face heat up. His eyes dart to the other side of the room to make sure his roommate is still asleep. Thankfully, Tweek hasn’t been bothered enough by his laughter to wake up. With a wistful sigh and a dreamy smile stretching his lips, he doodles little hearts around Star boy’s words.

_You know, I have the worlds ugliest laugh. I can’t lie. I’m super hot, but my laugh is so gross, man. I snort like a fricken pig when I can’t handle something funny. My friends back home used to give me so much shit for it._

_Looks like I’m in luck. Hot guys with weird laughs are my ultimate turn-on._  There’s a pause before another line of messy script materializes under the first.  _That’s bullshit, though.  Want me to beat them up? They can get a true ass-whooping to the sound of your laughter. Poetic justice and all that._

Kenny can feel his heart flutter in his chest, and for a moment he’s worried Star boy has finally done it, killed him with his words. He traces the chicken scratch he calls handwriting and lifts his arm to press his lips softly to it. Kenny knows the other can’t feel it, but somewhere deep down inside, _he wishes he could._

 _Naw, it’s okay,_ he writes. _They lost out and I won in the end. I get to have you. So they can enjoy their pathetic excuses for soulmates while I laugh at their misfortune. Snort and all._

_Wouldn’t have it any other way. Snort and all._

\-----

An hour into their group study session, Kenny can feel his eyes starting to droop. He really needs to figure out a better way to balance talking to Star boy and that weird, elusive _sleep_ thing that even Tweek was telling him he needs more of. 

"Sorry, my lab ran long."

Rubbing at his eyes, Kenny glances up from his book as a tall boy walks up to Tweek and starts talking to him. The blond is tired so he barely takes notice, his cheek resting on his hand. But he watches the two of them interact and faintly wonders if that's Tweek’s boyfriend?

He feels a little hurt that Tweek hasn't introduced him to him before now if that's the case, as Tweek made it sound like he hadn't met his soulmate yet. But the way the boy is standing and the questionable amount of space between them has Kenny second guessing that fact.

"Hey, Heidi," he asks quietly, getting her attention. "Who's that?"

"Hm?" she looks up from her notebook, following Kenny's line of sight. "Oh, that's Craig. I'm surprised you haven't met him yet; he's Tweek's best friend."

"His course load is kind of bananas, though," Bebe taps her pencil against the table.  "I couldn't do it. No social life."

Blue eyes glance slowly back to the pair; had he assumed incorrectly? It was rare that he was unable to read body language. Kenny nibbles on his pen and watches them. Craig is a pretty attractive guy. Clyde hadn't been kidding a couple of weeks ago when he had mentioned them all being beautiful people.

"Best friends, huh?" Kenny asks, observing the very pretty green of Craig’s eyes and how they seem to light up when Tweek smiles.

 _Curious._ "You sure that's _all?_ "

"Yeah, they're just really close. They've been friends since preschool or something," Clyde mumbles, resting heavily against the hand propping up his head. "They've both got people, anyway."

Craig smiles at something Tweek says, eyes raising and noticing Kenny at the table.

Kenny raises his hand, waving it gently as he offers Craig a tired smile.  No one could ever say Kenny McCormick wasn't polite, and he was fully aware that Tweek's best friend was there to do him a favor. What with him failing Physics and all.

"Oh," Craig starts; recoiling slightly at the sharp look Tweek gives him.  _Play nice. Right._ "Hey, uh, I'm Craig."

Tweek’s roommate looks about ready to pass out at the table, but he's...cute.  In a conventionally attractive, freckled way. Craig absently tucks his hands in his pockets; suddenly hyper aware of the hearts covering his skin, and not yet ready to share this new part of him with a stranger, let alone his group of friends. Not yet.

Kenny scrunches up his face before yawning. He doesn't mean to, honestly, but he's just so tired his eyes are starting to droop and burn. After covering his mouth, his smile goes lopsided. "Nice to meet you, Craigo," he jokes; Heidi snickers beside him at the nickname which makes him smile warmly. Thank God someone has a good sense of humor at this college. "I'm Kenny."

"Charmed," Craig doesn't mean for the word to come out so deadpan, so he offers a small smile, inclining his head because Tweek asked him to _try_ with his roommate, and he's going to try, damnit.

"Craig has one mood, and it's 'done with your shit,'" Clyde offers with a grin, wiggling his eyebrows. "Don't take it personally."

"That's my special mood reserved for you, Donovan," Craig quips, pulling up a chair and sitting on the other side of Tweek.

Mouth falling open in mock dismay, Clyde holds a hand to his chest. " _Rude._ "

On any given normal day, when Kenny wasn't passing out, he would be more active in the conversation. But as it stands, he's just quietly listening and observing. He's read the same stupid paragraph four times before Tweek taps him on the shoulder, a look of concern on his face. "Kenny, I t-think you should go back to the room."

Kenny grumbles something before he blinks too hard, his face squished against his palm. Heidi shoots Tweek a look before she's aggressively pointing to Kenny and mouthing ' _My God, that's cute._ '

“I feel bad,” Kenny starts, his eyes closed. “Craig, you came here to help me and I’m just, useless right now.”

“It’s fine, dude,” Craig remarks, fighting back a yawn of his own. “We can always reschedule. Now that I can place a face with the name, maybe it’ll motivate me to get off my ass and actually tutor you.”

Kenny laughs at that, peeking one eye open. “Well, to be fair, Tweek has been trying to get us to study together. I blame you.” He laughs as Craig rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah.  I’m going to make the executive decision to blame Clyde,” he props his chin on his palm, ignoring the scoff from his friend across the table.

Tweek shakes his head with a bemused smile on his lips and shrugs one of his shoulders as the table erupts in a soft fit of giggles.

Kenny’s hand itches. He isn't sure why, but he has the urge to write on it. But Kenny doesn't want to share his Star boy with people he barely knows, so he just continues to long blink absently and smile gently at the look Clyde is giving Craig.

"I'm about ready to tap out, too," standing and stretching his arms to the ceiling, Clyde flips his textbook shut. "There's only so much braining my noggin can take a day."

"That's a stretch."

"Shut your whore mouth, Tucker, I know where you sleep."

Craig stands too, shouldering his backpack, ignoring Clyde.  "Are you guys gonna come?"

"Yeah, I'm going to meet up with Eric," Heidi neatly packs her bag up, helping Bebe gather her vast assortment of colorful pens and highlighters that have migrated across the table.  "And you guys have a date, don't you?"

"Damn straight we do," the grin on Clyde's face could overpower the sun. "Dinner _and_ a movie."

Tweek turns to Kenny, brows knit in worry. "Ready to go?"

"Huh, what?" Kenny looks up at them and realizes all at once that he had somehow fallen asleep mid-sentence. He feels really stupid, but it’s his own fault and he knows he really should sleep when normal people do. Kenny packs up his stuff and wobbles a little as he stands, putting his hand up to signal he's fine when Tweek tries to steady him.

"Ah, sorry. Just didn't sleep much last night," he chuckles before watching the others leave one at a time. He notices Craig hasn't left yet and assumes he's going to walk with Tweek back to their room.

Kenny feels like he's intruding on _something_ , feeling a bit weird, almost like a third wheel.

"Me neither," Tweek replies like it's nothing unusual, following as the three boys head out of the library.

"And fire is hot," the eye roll is evident in Craig's voice.  "Are you at least drinking _less_ coffee these days?"

The smaller blond huffs out a laugh. "I'm down to _nnnnnh_ , maybe six cups a day."

"Jesus Christ, dude," Craig mutters.

Something crawls around in Kenny’s stomach; a little knot of anxiety, maybe? This type of thing happens often when he feels out of place. Sometimes it even happens when he's with Stan and Kyle; it's as if these people have some type of _bubble_ around them, one he wouldn't be able to penetrate even if he wanted to. He feels... _lonely,_ and absently he rubs his thumb over the hidden hearts on his hand.

He shouldn't feel alone anymore. He doesn't have to. Even when he's with people, he's never really alone now. This gives his confidence the little boost it needs to have him attempt conversation again.

Kenny smiles and offers a tiny laugh, "I saw him take a Red Bull and throw espresso in it once. I'm worried for your health, dude."

Craig's head snaps around at that, normally passive face flipped to worry like a light switch.  "Are you shitting me? You're still _doing that_?"

Kenny watches the two of them and he can't remember the last time he's felt so confused.

"U-um," Tweek starts, coloring rising on his cheeks, "Well shit, I forgot my laptop at the library, I'll c-catch up!" The blond turns on his heel, hurriedly rushing back toward the library doors.

"You didn't have your laptop!" Craig turns and yells after his retreating friend.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Tweek shouts back, voice cracking as he disappears around the corner of the building.

With a deep sigh, Craig turns to Kenny, closing his eyes. "That little shit, I swear to fucking God."

Kenny stands stock still, watching the other run away before he turns to the taller of the two.

"Does he... do this to you often?" he asks, seeing as Craig looks clearly put out and annoyed by the other's antics.

"You have no idea." Craig opens his eyes, regarding the blond carefully, "You're gonna be next.  Keep an eye on him."  
  
"Heh. I'm used to people abandoning me, nothing new." Kenny jokes, the smile on his lips not really reaching his blue eyes.

They stand awkwardly for a moment, Craig out of his depth and playing with the lint in the pockets of his hoodie for something to do.  "Are you going to the dorms?"

"Yeah, I'm in the round building. Forget what it's called. You?" He turns on his heel and starts walking toward the dorms, pausing to raise an eyebrow when Craig doesn't immediately follow.

"Same, yeah," Craig catches up to Kenny in several strides, easily falling into step next to him. Something about what the other boy said is bothering him and the longer he thinks about it, the more it does.

"He likes you a lot, you know," Craig doesn't look at Kenny, but continues anyway. "He has really bad anxiety and trust issues, but he feels really comfortable around you, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. He's just...skittish."

Kenny muses over Craig's words, his hands in his parka pockets as they walk. Craig must really care about his best friend to be defending him like this when he isn’t around. It's nice, but a little uncomfortable.  Kenny wants to be close to Tweek, he's his roommate after all, but he often holds people at arms length.

Less chance to get hurt that way.

"Mmm, I'll keep that in mind," Kenny responds, his eyes watching the sky as they walk. He smiles softly as he thinks about writing to his soulmate about the waxing moon tonight. "Hey, what's your opinion on constellations?"

A smile pulls at Craig's lips. "They're really cool," he says quietly, concealing that his reply is the understatement of the year.  Looking at Kenny, he notices the way his face lights up looking up at the darkening sky. Everything about him is serene and _fond_ and Craig is struck by how much he hopes that one day someone will look at him like that.

"I never really thought about them too much until recently, to be honest,” Kenny supplies, kicking a rock as he walks down the quad pathway.

"I mean, I did. I would look up there and think about how someone else out there was looking at the same thing. Blah blah, you know. The same old song and dance." Kenny laughs and rolls his eyes, "But I never really _looked_ at them." Lifting his hand, he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "I'm even thinking about taking an astronomy class next semester. Silly right?"

Craig shakes his head, a quiet ‘nah’ on his lips. "I don't think so. I'm taking a couple astronomy classes this semester, so maybe I'm biased."

Maybe Tweek was right.  Maybe he and Kenny could actually get along, even just as casual acquaintances.  Not that Craig would give his best friend the satisfaction of _knowing_ he was right. "There's a lot of history to them, and some of them overlap across different cultures.  Small world, or some shit." 

Kenny nods his head back and forth as he thinks about what little he knows of the heavens. He's been learning most of it from Star boy, his obsession clear in the words painted across his arms. "Aren't most of them Greek? I'm ashamed to say I only ever knew about the constellations connected to the horoscopes."

"A lot of them are, yeah," Craig joins Kenny in looking up at the sky, tiny pinpricks of light glittering down at them.  "My sister is obsessed with horoscopes. She about had a meltdown when she found out her sign and her soulmate's sign weren't compatible.  I had to remind her that they're _soulmates_ and that's kinda what actually matters."

Lacing his hands behind his back, Kenny walks in a lazy fashion, face turned upright to watch the glittering stars above him. Kenny had a new appreciation for them now, seeing the beauty where he used to only see vast darkness. "Your sister and mine sound pretty similar, she really enjoys reading the horoscopes in the newspaper." He pauses before a gentle smile pulls at his lips, "Ahh, a friend of mine really knows a lot about stars and I feel like I should be playing catch up." Pausing he turns to Craig, interested. "Oh, so you can help me pick a class that doesn't bore me to tears!"

Craig is itching to check his skin for any new messages from _his_ person, all this talk of constellations reminding him of the drawings on his hand. "And all of them are fascinating," Craig smirks through his words, "Well, except Dr. Brenner's class. That's dull as fuck."

"Well I certainly want to avoid anything _dull as fuck_ ," Kenny jokes, a coy smile stretching across his lips as he glances over at the other boy.

It's nice. The conversation is long past feeling forced, and Kenny actually seems to be enjoying Craig's company. Kenny takes a moment to actually observe the guy he's walking with. He's tall, but not lanky. His hair peeking out from under his hat is dark, which compliments his green eyes. He remembers how they lit up when he spoke to Tweek and they're doing that again talks about the stars.

 _They seem to sparkle when he's talking about things he likes,_ Kenny internally reviews. _He's not too hard on the eyes, either._

It's a shame that this prime guy isn't Tweek's soulmate; it was clear just watching them that he was interested in the shorter blond. That might be a fascinating story to ask about one day. But for now, Kenny enjoys listening to the low rumble of his voice. Kenny wonders if his soulmate would be anything like Craig, someone entranced with his hobbies as much as he is. _How nice,_ he thinks to himself.

They reach the dorm before Kenny knows it, and he finds that he doesn't really want to go inside.  But it would be weird to linger outside with no real reason to be, right? The blond thinks about what the other said regarding his sister and decides, what the hell, instead of heading toward the door he stops and starts talking again, "I'm an Aries, what sign goes good with those?"

"I think Sagittarius and Leo are supposedly the best," Craig shrugs a shoulder. "But I could be wrong. I don't have the stunning expertise of my kid sister."

 _Are we really talking about astrology?_ Craig muses to himself, suppressing a smile. "I'm an Aquarius. Bearing water like a boss."

If another stupid thing comes out of his mouth, Craig may take a vow of silence.

"Ha. _Leo_ ,” Kenny laughs at his private joke. Of course, one of the only people Kenny's ever come close to even liking outside of his blind devotion to his soulmate was his friend Leo. But Craig doesn't need to know this, so he just shakes his head.

"Did you just make a water bender joke? Because everything changed when the fire nation attacked." Another laugh floats into the air, Kenny's shoulders shaking with the power of it. "Wow, we're such _nerds_."

"I didn't intentionally, but I wish I had," Craig's teeth flash momentarily in a hesitant grin, watching Kenny's boisterous laugh shake his frame. "We really are.  Never been a cool kid, no intention of starting now, so might as well own it."

"Boy howdy, do I know that feeling." The blond calms himself, a few chuckles following the original fit, but he's associating his current attitude with lack of sleep. Toeing the ground for a moment he nods toward the dorm.

"I should... probably go to bed. I have classes tomorrow." Something inside is nagging at him again, not exactly wanting to leave.

Craig nods, shifting his bag on his shoulder.  "Me too. And an essay I've been putting off."

They both pause, opening their mouths at the same time.

"Goodnight."

"'Night."

Shaking his head for what felt like the millionth time tonight, Craig looks down at his shoes.  "We're in the same building."

Kenny stands there incredibly awkwardly for no good reason. He rocks back and forth from his toes to heels before letting out a huff in an amused manner. What the heck was _wrong_ with him?

"Oh, well shit. Damn." Kenny goes to reach for the door handle the same time Craig does and they bump shoulders. He blinks as his cheeks dust a light pink and he snorts out a laugh. Backing up, Kenny puts his hands up before gesturing, "After you, my dude."

Craig's eyes linger a second too long on the blush spreading over the bridge of Kenny's nose, making his freckles all the more visible, before he grips the door handle and pulls it open, gesturing for the blond to enter.  "After you."

A loud exasperated sound erupts from Kenny before he's walking through the door. "Okay, okay, I suppose ladies first,” he jokes before walking in and hitting the up button on the elevator. Why was he so flustered? And sure, it was sweet of him to open the door, he'll give the taller boy that.

Watching the elevator numbers drop down to the first floor, Craig allows a smirk.  "Before things get awkward again, what floor are you on?"

"Oh ho, so the boy admits it was awkward, huh?" Kenny chimes, his hands coming out of his parka to wave his wrist delicately in the air.

"I'm on the fourth floor," he adds, leaning against the wall next to the elevator, smiling directly at Craig. "You?"

His smirk only grows at that.  "Seventh. With Clyde."

Craig catches sight of ink swirling over Kenny's wrist and disappearing under the cuff of his parka, and doesn't know why the sudden wave of melancholy washes over him. Of course the charismatic blond was in contact with his soulmate. Anyone who had him as their person would be stupid not to.

The blond catches Craig looking at his hand and realizes belatedly that perhaps he saw his marks. It's strange, the look on the other boy’s face seems almost sad? Maybe his soulmate doesn't talk to him? Kenny knows that pain deeply and he feels the need to say... something? Anything.

Kenny holds his hand up and offers a tiny smile, "Caught ya." He waves his hand and shrugs a shoulder. "You okay?" He wants to be delicate about this but isn't sure how to go forward.

So he starts small.

"I know some people don't talk about their soulmates so shut me up if I'm weirding you out dude, but man. Sometimes it's weird, don't you think? Having someone that's supposed to be your perfect match?" He's babbling. Kenny knows he is and it's something he does when he's nervous. The marks on his hand itch and he rubs his palm over them for strength.

"It's also lonely right? When they don't answer?" Kenny's fishing at this point, trying to figure out why Craig just… seems so sad?

"Yeah," the single word coming out much softer than Craig intended.  He clears his throat, absently tugging at the sleeves of his hoodie, "I was quiet for a while and felt horrible.  Still do. There was just a lot going on in my head and I wasn't in a position to share that burden with someone else, you know?"

_10....9....8...._

"Have you met yours?"  Craig isn't sure why he asks, but he does, despite the unfamiliar ache in his chest.

Ouch. Kenny knows _how it feels_ to be on the receiving end of that. His soulmate might actually be mad at him, no wonder he's upset?

He hums under his breath and shakes his head, watching the elevator drop. "No. He hasn't been around long, to be honest."

_7...6...5..._

Against his will, Kenny’s lips up turn in a fond smile as he thinks about Star boy. "What about you?"

_3...2...1…_

"No," Craig turns his head to face Kenny, their eyes meeting for a moment.  "But I want to."

_Ding._

He doesn't flinch outwardly, but the sound catches him off guard. "After you," Craig repeats after several people filter out of the elevator.  
  
"Thank you, kindly." Kenny mutters, holding the side of the elevator to allow Craig to walk inside before it closes.

They have this weird chemistry going on and Kenny can't put his finger on what's _really_ happening here, it’s like there’s a strange magnetic pull between them. But he can't deny that his heart skipped an extra beat when Craig had said he wanted to meet them. _His soulmate_.

"Is… it weird of them to not share their name?" Kenny questions, insecurities flaring now that he was talking with someone about it. "Our soulmates, I mean. Is it weird?"

Craig pokes both buttons, thinking the question over.  "No, not necessarily. I mean, the connection is based on more than a name or a face.  I don't know his name, either."

Craig realizes that it's the first time he's had any sort of conversation about this outside of his own head, and is cursing the elevator moving.

"I wish I could ask his name," Kenny mutters, feeling that ball of anxiety rising in his chest, clawing at his insides. "I'm so scared he's gonna up and disappear again and I won't even know what to call him?" His eyes are sad but he's trying to swallow the pain down, the years of abandonment he felt. "Aha, but you're right! What's in a name, a rose and all that jazz."

The elevator and Craig's mouth open at the same time, cutting off his words before they can fully form on his tongue.

Craig wedges his foot against the elevator door, the nervous energy from this entire situation buzzing just under his skin. "Do you want my number? I mean," catching himself, Craig glances down at his well-worn chucks, "in case you need anything, or have physics questions.  And if you need advice on dealing with a severe caffeine addiction."

The shorter boy is taken aback by the gesture, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. It's surprising, to say the least, that Craig would want to exchange numbers after just meeting. But, he smiles despite his brain screaming at him that he shouldn't flirt. But hell, the ball of anxiety has faded with the gesture and Kenny's charisma has kicked in full blast.

"I didn't expect you to be so forward, Craig. But sure," The blond pauses and looks around; all he has is his book and some pens and highlighters. He doesn't have any paper on him. He sighs and plucks his pen from his pocket and bites the cap off, putting it on the end of the pen.

As Craig tells him the number, Kenny writes it across his arm. He'll explain to his soulmate later that this is a friend’s number; and hey, maybe he'll surprise Star boy and give him _his number_?

The joint excitement from both that idea and getting Craig's number causes his cheeks to darken. "I'll text you later, hopefully Tweek isn't dead from caffeine overdose." Kenny heads out of the elevator and turns, offering his new friend one last smile.

"This was fun. Text me back and we can talk about the stars some more.  Lord knows I need someone to hold my hand through this," Kenny laughs and waves, taking a few steps backwards.

Craig realizes his hand is still raised in a salute after the elevator doors close once again, leaving him alone in the metal box.  He slumps against the wall, hitting his head against it several times as the floors ding by.

He finally connected with his soulmate after so many years of complete silence on his end, and just like that he was drawn to someone else.  _Again_.

"Fuck," he groans, his voice echoing in the empty elevator.  When the door finally dings open, he drags himself down the hallway, digging his keys out of his backpack, and unlocking the door.

Craig likes solitude, likes the comforting silence that comes with it. Right now, it's deafening.

Dropping his bag unceremoniously on the floor, he shrugs out of his hoodie, all but rips his hat off his head, and plops down on his bed.  What was he going to do. He loves this instant connection with his soulmate, feels connected to another person in way that is so _rare_ to him that it's overwhelming in the most wonderful way.

And then he thinks of Kenny. This new guy in his life, who he just officially met hours ago, with his stupid beautiful smile and laugh.  The way he wants to grow for his person, the way he looked at the sky like it was the most precious thing in his life. He barely knows the blond at all and had been hell-bent on hating him on principle, but _now._  Everything that passed between them felt like more than just friendship. It was on par with what he felt when a message danced over his skin, and the thought terrifies him to his core

Craig lies back against his sheets, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes. " _Fuck._ " Maybe he should talk to his Princess. Maybe that would help snap things into perspective, make him realize that he _has_ someone perfect, and just because a cute guy that checked every box Craig didn't even know he _had_ popped up doesn't mean that he should hopelessly chase after him and abandon the other boy.  _Again._

Opening his eyes, Craig fumbles for the pen he now keeps next to his pillow, uncapping it and raising his arm to-

He freezes.

His own phone number stands out against his tanned skin, written in the easy script that's become second nature to see littering his skin.  A second line of text appears just under the series of numbers.

_Sorry, I made a friend today and we did a phone number exchange._

Air isn't reaching his lungs, every thought in his overactive mind screeching to a blinding halt because _his phone number is on his arm._

_Kenny._

Everything snaps into place: the instant draw, the familiar feeling of coming home, _everything_ about the blond that he had noticed.  Craig doesn't know when he starts laughing, or when the tears now sliding over his cheeks formed, but he can't stop, doesn't want to.

The relief that rushes over him is something he's never experienced before, the fondness and adoration that have been building over the years and reaching a critical mass now have a physical person to attach to, to put a name and a face to the boy who has poured beautiful words over his skin and bared his soul for years without receiving anything in return.

He's  _hurt_ Kenny, has caused this beautiful person to ache and fear rejection when all Craig had to do was get over himself and pick up a pen.

Craig will do better.  He has to. Because now that he's seen him, _met_ him, met his Princess in another castle, he _gets_ it.  He gets everything that he's been told his entire life about finding that person the universe designated just for you, and it makes him feel weak and empowered all at once.

Raising his pen, he hovers the tip over his skin, not knowing what to say, how to even broach this subject. Because what if Kenny doesn't feel the same. What if the blond didn't experience an ounce of what Craig did, or hated what he saw, who Craig _really_ is outside of his witty words and pretty pictures.

Letters materialize on his forearm before he can question anything else, and he sits up, clutching his arm as if the knowledge that it's Kenny on the other end of these exchanges will make it disappear.

_You know. If you want my number, I could always give it to you. No pressure, Star boy! Promises, promises._

Kenny is laying in bed, his phone on the charger. He curses at himself for leaving it in the room in the first damn place. Sighing, he puts Craig's number in his phone and quirks a little smile as he types out a text.

[ Message Sent: Kenny ] __  
Hey nerd, it's Kenny. I told you I'd text you.  


Craig wants to tell him, to make this whole thing come to fruition, so they can figure things out _together_ , but he's scared in a way he doesn't know he's ever been.  Kenny's love is so fierce and seemingly focused on his soulmate, _on him_ , that that fear of not being enough paralyzes him.

What if it's only because the blond thinks they're supposed to be together and any emotions are a direct byproduct of that. That none of his feelings have anything to do with Craig at all.

_We could. This is just a lot more...personal._

He stares at the ink on his skin, hoping Kenny doesn't pry too much. Picking up his phone, he opens the text on his screen, tapping out a quick, _[ Hey yourself.  And so you did, well done. ]_ before he can think too much about it.

 _Fuck_ , he doesn't want to lie or pretend that he doesn't know that his person, whose every line Craig has transcribed into notebooks over the years, is _Kenny_.  But, as childish as it sounds to his own mind, he's not ready.  He will be one day, hopefully sooner than later, but for the moment he wants to keep the air of anonymity as a shield.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Trollmate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14882568) by [ChiefInvestigatorEmma](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChiefInvestigatorEmma/pseuds/ChiefInvestigatorEmma)




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